ISG Designed, Nu-Tek Biosciences New Facility, Celebrates Ground-Breaking Event

First facility design dedicated to animal-free peptone manufacturing in the U.S. Breaks Ground

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Jun 22, 2021, 13:41 ET

AUSTIN, Minn., June 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As the first shovel hits the dirt today, Nu-Tek BioSciences, an innovative manufacturer rooted in the production of industrial ingredients used in the development and manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, celebrates as they break ground on their new facility, located in Austin, MN. With a facility design focused on the production of raw materials for biologics manufacturing, this will be the first facility dedicated to animal-free peptone production.

The 52,000 square-foot facility sits on a 9-acre lot in the Creekside Business Park. In addition to designing a facility for this unique manufacturing process, there was also a goal to design for Nu-Tek's anticipated growth. Upon completion, Nu-Tek is expected to create approximately 35 to 40 jobs at this facility.

"Perhaps the most notable part of the facility design is the size of the dryer, which is tailored specifically for Nu-Tek's process of harvesting the peptone from soybeans," stated ISG's Vice President and Food and Industrial Business Unit Leader, Brian Gjerde, PE. ISG, an architecture, engineering, environmental, and planning design firm with 11 offices across the Midwest provided the facility design services.

For Nu-Tek to manufacture peptones in their unique method, the facility requires a 10,000 square-foot drier tower. A structure this large and advanced delivered challenges that required creative solutions to prepare and extract peptones from sustainable soybeans, for use in a variety of products for the biomedical field.

Gjerde shared, "a major part of the design work proved to be the dryer tower. It's one of the larger towers we've done at almost 100 feet in the air, holding up the roughly 80-ton dryer." Despite these challenges, ISG's expert design team collaborated and planned a design in a methodical approach that made the most efficient use of timelines and schedules. "We began our design work in December, but with the ability to do both design work and planning all in-house, we were able to fast track the project and move promptly into the construction phase."

The next phase of this facility's construction will be entrusted to WDS Construction, in partnership with JCW Development, who attended the groundbreaking along with officials from the City of Austin and Mower County, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, Dahmes Stainless Equipment, Horicon Bank, JCW Development, PACE Equity and other guests.

"ISG is honored to design and be involved with such a unique and advanced facility and project," states Gjerde. "We are confident that with their expertise, the project will flow smoothly and be completed at or before schedule next spring."

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About Nu-Tek BioSciences
Nu-Tek BioSciences develops and manufactures peptones and protein hydrolysates for the biotech and wellness foods industry. Nu-Tek's portfolio of products are used in a variety of applications ranging from pharmaceuticals to industrial fermentations. Nu-Tek's peptones are most commonly used in microbiological media, fermentation nutrient systems, as well as cell and tissue culture media. They can also be found in the wellness foods sector, used in the manufacture of allergen-free probiotics, and serving as nutritional protein hydrolysates.

About ISG
ISG, a 100 percent ESOP firm, has a rich history, which extends over 48 years, of building trusting relationships with clients, stakeholders, and the community. As a full-service architecture, engineering, environmental, and planning firm with nearly 350 professionals in offices throughout Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and South Dakota, ISG provides exceptional services, strategies, and guidance to a wide range of markets nationwide. ISG was named among the 100 fastest growing firms, best places to work for, and market excellence leader in the United States by Zweig Group, recognized as a Top 500 Design Firm by Engineering News-Record (ENR) magazine, and has earned spots on numerous Top Workplace and project recognition lists. To learn more about ISG, visit ISGInc.com.