Novozymes, a pioneer in advanced enzyme technology for the production of fuel ethanol from corn and agricultural residue, has established a new Midwest Customer Solutions Center in Ames, Iowa, in order to better serve its customer base in the biofuels industry.

Located at the Iowa State University Research Park in Ames, the focus of the center is to provide regionalized support and technical service to Novozymes' customers in Iowa and the surrounding states with an emphasis on plants that utilize Novozymes' enzyme products to convert starches into fuel ethanol. Customer training programs are expected to be implemented when the building is complete in July.

Yokima Cureton, director of communications and public relations for Novozymes of North America, said the satellite office is the first of its kind for the company, which will also coordinate efforts with Novozymes' U.S. headquarters in Franklinton, N.C., to provide the most efficient and effective customer service and support for ethanol industry customers.

The launch of the support center was spurred by President George W. Bush's visit to the Franklinton facility in February, when he commended Novozymes for its research in renewable fuel technology. More than 200 Novozymes employees, officials and dignitaries from around the globe attended Bush's panel discussion on furthering the commercialization of renewable energy. Cureton said the president's visit substantiated Novozymes' purpose for meeting his vision for renewable energy security in the United States.

"We are already working with a lot of plants and other industry partners to advance this commercialization, and we believe that the president's agenda is very much in line with where we see the future of energy going in North America," Cureton said.