The last time we featured animal health manufacturer Zoetis, it was in a roundup of Nebraska manufacturers making a difference in the lives of animals. In 2014, the U.S. Department of Agriculture granted them a conditional license to create a cure for the Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDv) and in 2009, Zoetis manufactured the Flu-Sure pandemic vaccine to prevent the deadly H1N1 influenza in pigs.

For over sixty years, the global health company has helped to create quality medicines, vaccines, and services to help those who raise and care for animals.

We at NeMAC aren’t the only ones who recognize the good this manufacturer is doing. Just this week, reported that the company is currently working on the second multi-thousand square foot expansion to their Lincoln plant in two years. Investments in the expansion will cost up to $70 million dollars, and plant representative Betty Mason says that the company will be hiring accordingly. The expansion isn’t without purpose, either: Mason says that improvements to the existing Lincoln building like improved steam condensate recovery, improved insulation, and recovering heat from the air handling system all make the plant more environmentally friendly, too.

While Zoetis has had a footprint in Lincoln for quite some time, their major expansion and increased production at the facility in 2015 established the Lincoln plant as the largest internal manufacturing operation within the company. “The entire community can be proud of our expanded manufacturing operations, which enable us to produce 1,200 finished goods for more than 100 markets around the world,”

Currently, the Lincoln plant mostly manufactures products for cattle, swine, and companion animals, including some of Zoetis’ flagship vaccines. For example, some of the lines produce (carprofen), a product for the relief of pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis and the control of postoperative pain in dogs. Synovex, which helps increase weight gain and feed efficiency in beef cattle, will be manufactured in the new addition completed in August.

Zoetis’ growth mimics that of the global animal healthcare market, an underrated but tremendously important sector. According to , the global animal healthcare market is expected to increase from $29,537.4 million in 2014 to $44,203.2 million in 2020. While this trend is driven by industrial agriculture as well, the increasing adoption of pet animals and the therapeutic benefits of cats and dogs have led to fast growth throughout the world. Simultaneously, the evolution of new diseases has required expanded and innovated research in vaccine research. As the animal population grows, the need for disease control does, too.

We’re proud to have such a groundbreaking company located right here in Lincoln. They’re doing outstanding work and manufacturing integral products in a growing global industry. To learn more about the company, visit their website or leave a comment in the section below!