ADM Unveils New Microbiology Lab at Illinois Site

American agribusiness Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) officially opened a new microbiology laboratory Monday at its ADM Specialty Manufacturing facility in Decatur, IL. The project doubled the site’s microbiology laboratory footprint and expanded the location’s testing capabilities.

“The expansion of ADM’s Specialty Manufacturing facility demonstrates our commitment to growing our in-house testing capabilities and also our continued investment in the Decatur community,” Veronica Braker, senior vice president, Global Operations for ADM, said in a company release. “This new facility will drive productivity and collaboration, accelerate innovation, and bring even more high-level science and research employment opportunities to Decatur.”

The microbiology lab in Decatur tests finished products from North America for lot release to the market. Established in the late 1960s, the facility was most recently expanded in 2006.

ADM’s Decatur lab will provide testing services to 25 ADM manufacturing plants across North America. The new facility includes capabilities to conduct advanced in-house testing like kill-step validations for processing plants.

The lab will become ISO 17025 accredited for the top five quality testing methods in early 2023, and ADM will continue to obtain further certifications for other methods. A laboratory information management system will be implemented at the new location in late 2023, enabling faster reporting to ADM clients.

“We are very excited for this expansion because it enables greater innovation to unlock the power of nature in order to enrich the quality of life,” said Lee Perry, vice president, Quality and Food Safety at ADM, in a statement. “The development of this state-of-the-art laboratory directly aligns with our mission and vision to strive for operational excellence, partner with operations to provide testing solutions, and drive analytical performance.”