Bayer CropScience marks grand opening at its RTP campus

Bayer CropScience marked the completion of one major construction project and the beginning of another Tuesday, the latest in a series of investments in its Research Triangle Park campus that have exceeded $140 million since 2012.

The company, which has 785 employees in the Triangle, hosted a grand opening of the $33 million renovation of its North American headquarters, which also doubles as the headquarters for its global seeds business.

In addition, Bayer CropScience also broke ground for a $26.9 million greenhouse, which will be the third high-tech greenhouse at the RTP campus. The greenhouse will focus on R&D efforts involving soybean, cotton and wheat.

The overhauled headquarters will accommodate up to 700 employees and feature more than 200 meeting rooms with sophisticated audio-visual equipment. A conference center will seat up to 200.

Among the amenities are a fitness and exercise center, a medical office, massage therapist and an employee store that will sell Bayer brand over-the-counter drugs at a discount.

Bayer CropScience, a subsidiary of the German conglomerate Bayer, produces seeds and crop protection products such as insecticides. The company is the No. 1 global producer of cotton and canola seeds.

Last year Bayer CropScience generated $10.79 billion in sales, up 11 percent from 2013.

This story was originally published June 23, 2015 at 12:44 PM with the headline "Bayer CropScience marks grand opening at its RTP campus."