Neutrog Australia plans to build a $3.5m laboratory and education centre at Kanmantoo

Neutrog Australia will expand its Kanmantoo operations with a new $3.5m laboratory and education centre to welcome visitors to its site.

An artist's impression of Neutrog's new $3.5m research and education centre. Picture: Supplied.

Biological fertiliser company Neutrog Australia has unveiled the plans for a $3.5m research and education centre at Kanmantoo, which will increase its on site laboratory capacity fourfold and create a new education hub for industry, schools and the community.

Neutrog managing director Angus Irwin said research and development was vital to the company, which makes a range of biologically-active fertilisers.

“We have outgrown our existing laboratory and with the increasing demand we are

experiencing from our customers and partners we need to position for the future,’’ Mr Irwin said.

“While we’re investing in our research capabilities, we also want to help educate the

industry and broader community on the latest global developments in microbes and

biologicals and their increasing value to agriculture and horticulture.

“It is widely recognised that over the next 20 years, food production needs to

increase by 70 to 100 per cent from diminishing areas of arable land just to feed the

world’s growing population.

Senior research assistant Juhee Hada and managing director Angus Irwin from Neutrog. Picture: Supplied.,

“Biologicals are increasingly seen as playing a significant role in achieving this goal.”

The new development will include an 80-seat education centre with interactive multimedia and hands-on learning options, and a planned curriculum to align with STEM and vocational education and training pathways.

On the scientific front it will include a BC2-accredited (biosecurity containment level 2 approved) laboratory, making it, the company says, the only commercial fertiliser business in Australia to have this accreditation, allowing it to receive and process soils sourced from overseas.

Mr Irwin said the company had grown its staff numbers from about 40 to about 70 over the past five years, and was on track to turn over $22m this financial year, up from $19m in 2022-23, with the company investing more than $1m annually into R&D.

Senior research assistant Juhee Hada said the new facilities would allow Neutrog to

continue helping farmers and growers meet their production challenges.

“What we do at Neutrog is not research for research’s sake,” Ms Hada said.

“We work closely alongside farmers and growers so we get to see the real life impact

of our R&D. I’m excited by the difference our team is making in agriculture and

horticulture and what that means for the future of food production.”

In 2022 Neutrog raised more than $3m in a crowd-funding campaign with the money raised going towards the new facilities.