Crop Nutrition Gets Major Boost

By Blake Jackson

Pivot Bio has announced a major expansion of its presence in the Greater St. Louis region with two new Centers of Excellence located in Hazelwood and Creve Coeur. The company is investing more than $7 million to strengthen U.S.-based manufacturing and innovation and deliver reliable, cost-effective nitrogen solutions.

This expansion comes at a time when fertilizer markets are facing strong volatility due to global supply pressures, energy challenges, and geopolitical uncertainty. These conditions have made it difficult for growers to manage rising input costs and uncertain supply during planting season. In response, the company is increasing domestic production, lowering prices, and launching a multiyear nitrogen price and supply assurance program.

The new Centers of Excellence include a Research, Development, and Innovation Center in Creve Coeur, located within the 39 North AgTech Innovation District, and a Customer and Operations Success Center in Hazelwood. Together, these locations support the full system behind crop nutrition solutions, from research to production and delivery.

"Farmers are being asked to make critical decisions in a market that's anything but predictable," said Chris Abbott, chief executive officer at Pivot Bio. "Our focus is on helping bring more certainty back to the farm, and that starts with investing in U.S.-based innovation and production that farmers can depend on. By expanding our innovation and production capabilities in both Hazelwood and Creve Coeur, we're ensuring farmers have access to a consistent, high-quality nitrogen source they can depend on, whenever and wherever they need it."

In Hazelwood, the company is scaling operations to meet growing demand, ensuring efficient production, packaging, and distribution across the country. The Creve Coeur location focuses on research and development, advancing next-generation crop nutrition technology.

The expansion also supports job growth, with more than 40 new positions expected. By strengthening its U.S. operations and connecting innovation with delivery, the company aims to build a more reliable and resilient crop nutrition system for the future.

Photo Credit: gettyimages-eugenesergeev