NEWS 92 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE June 2025 Merck Animal Health, known as MSD Animal Health outside of the United States and Canada, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., and Kansas Governor Laura Kelly jointly announced the $895 million expansion of Merck Animal Health’s manufacturing facility in De Soto, Kansas, USA. The $895 million capital expansion will be constructed on an existing Merck-owned property that is the site of its biologics facility in De Soto, Kansas. It includes an $860 million investment in the site’s existing manufacturing facility and a further $35 million investment in its research and development laboratories. The 200,000-square-foot manufacturing facility project will expand filling and freeze dryer capacity for large molecule vaccines and biologic products for Merck Animal Health. As a Center of Excellence, it is expected to play a pivotal role in the manufacturing of Merck Animal Health’s products and complement Merck Animal Health’s extensive U.S. and international network of animal health product manufacturing plants. Site preparation and facility design will start immediately, creating 2,500 construction jobs. Commercial manufacturing is expected to begin in 2030, creating more than 200 full-time roles. Merck Animal Health’s significant investment in its research and development laboratories will enhance its research capabilities, focusing on advancing Merck Animal Health’s global drug discovery and development initiatives, according to the announcement. Read more>> Merck Animal Health invests in manufacturing and R&D Big Dutchman and Australia-based Stockyard Industries announced a new partnership to better serve their growing customer base down under. By coming together under a single banner – Big Dutchman Agriculture (Australia) Pty. Ltd – the two family-owned companies aim to leverage their strengths and streamline customer experience. Big Dutchman currently supplies farming equipment to egg, poultry and pig customers in the Australian market, and will broaden their offerings of turn-key solutions beyond the pig segment to a wider client base. Stockyard Industries, long established by the Jones family, has been a Big Dutchman distributor for pig, poultry, dairy and feed milling products for more than 15 years, and was one of the leading providers for the Australian pig farming industry. Big Dutchman Australia will manage Stockyard Industries’ warehouse and facilities in Bendigo. This company presence in Victoria, alongside the existing sites in Queensland, will ensure Big Dutchman Australia can deliver spare parts and services across all corners of the country. The Jones family will remain engaged in the business for the upcoming years by managing the former Stockyard Industries’ operations. According to the announcement, Stockyard Industries’ customers can expect no service interruptions during this transition phase. Read more>> Big Dutchman strengthens Australia presence with new partnership Photo: Merck Animal Health
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