Calvin Sonntag and trillions of bugs are kicking around in their new
105, 000 sq. foot home this week.
Sonntag is president and chief executive officer of Philom Bios.
The 25-year-old crop inoculant company moved from its numerous offices and manufacturing facilities scattered across Saskatoon into a converted farm equipment warehouse late last year.
“It brings it all under one roof with room to expand and take advantage of having all our people in one place,” said Sonntag.
Sandy Gleddie heads the company’s research and development team.
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“Not only can we manufacture and warehouse here, but it puts us all in the same place for research,” he said.
“This is nothing but good for a company like ours that depends so much on consistent production systems.
“We used to spend more time and money running around the city trying to keep everything in motion. This puts an end to that.”
Philom Bios develops, manufactures and markets pulse and cereal crop inoculants. These deliver nitrogen-fixing bacteria and fungi that secrete organic acids that break down minerals in the soil, making nutrients available to plant roots.
The company is expanding into U.S. markets and Sonntag said the new facility was key to that step.
“You can’t just start into a market and then not be able to serve the demand. This is a big market,” he said.
