ANKLAM, Germany—Continental A.G. has inaugurated its laboratory for research into the production of rubber from the Russian dandelion, in Anklam.
The Dec. 6 opening of the Taraxagum Lab Anklam comes just one year after breaking ground on the 323,000 sq.-ft. facility that is dedicated to the study of dandelion rubber farming and extraction methods. The lab, which represents an investment of nearly $40 million, will employ 20 individuals who have backgrounds in agricultural sciences, chemistry, production and process technology. They will help to establish the facility and set up machinery, while working to cultivate the dandelions.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs for the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania provided about $13 million in support of the project, noting that the funding was an investment in high-quality jobs and the expansion of opportunities for regional farmers.
"We are fully convinced of this project, which has the potential to shape the future of the region," Harry Glawe, minister of economics, employment and health of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, said during the opening ceremony. "The new research laboratory is an important step toward future-oriented workplaces in Western Pomerania. It is our goal that with the success of the research project a production plant for natural rubber arises."
