New Ostara production facility to bring jobs to St. Louis
Facility will be company’s largest in U.S.
Ostara St. Louis, Ltd. will bring 40 new, high-paying jobs to the St. Louis region and make a $25 million capital investment in the establishment of a Crystal Green® fertilizer production facility in St. Louis. Announced last year and officially approved by the St. Louis Port Authority recently, Ostara has begun recruiting and hiring employees to staff the facility and bring Crystal Green®’s sustainable technology to the Midwest. The project was supported by Greater St. Louis, Inc., Missouri Partnership, St. Louis Economic Development Partnership, Ameren Missouri, Spire, Bruce Oakley, Inc. and Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis (TRRA).
“We’re excited to welcome another agtech company to Missouri, where agriculture remains our number one economic driver,” Gov. Mike Parson said. “Ostara’s investment in St. Louis will create more career opportunities for Missourians, build on its mission to help farmers improve crop yields across North America, and protect water and soil quality around the globe.”
Canadian-founded Ostara, which develops technologies that recover phosphorous and nitrogen from water treatment streams and produces eco-friendly fertilizer products, currently has a fertilizer facility in Florida but began looking to establish a central U.S. presence. After a site selection search, executives concluded that St. Louis provided optimum conditions for the company’s growth and sustainability goals. The region’s nationally recognized agtech aggregation, its proliferation of educational institutions and its Midwestern location all played a role in Ostara’s decision.
“St. Louis was a natural choice for Ostara to construct its newest and largest manufacturing facility that will produce our environmentally friendly Crystal Green® fertilizer,” said Dan Parmar, chief executive officer at Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies. “As we gear up production over the next year, we’re partnering with the St. Louis community and Missouri businesses to continue our mission to produce a sustainable phosphorus soil health solution that will enhance crop yields while protecting water sources across the globe.”
Ostara plans to work with colleges and universities, businesses, and banks to grow roots and establish a presence in the region, creating the connections needed to build additional local plants in the future.
“Ostara’s products and vision dovetail with St. Louis’ strengths,” said Steve Johnson, president, AllianceSTL, the business attraction initiative of Greater St. Louis, Inc. “Agriculture, plant sciences and manufacturing have long served as foundational elements of our regional economy. Our agtech assets will provide a unique level of support for Ostara, and the company, in turn, will contribute to its growth — and the growth of our region — while increasing quality jobs in Downtown St. Louis.”