SOLON, Ohio — Large tanks line the production area of Locus Fermentation Solutions. That’s right, fermentation, the same process in brewing beer, is also going to work, creating economical bio-based solutions to global problems. Yes, those solutions are green. But CEO Andrew Lefkowitz says it’s the other green that gets clients’ attention.
“If you start with the green, we're going to save the planet. People's eyes glaze over and then you never get to what they're really interested in, which is making more money,” said Andrew Lefkowitz, the Chairman & CEO, Locus Fermentation Solutions.
The goal is to replace forever chemicals in products. These are chemicals that don’t break down over time, and can be found in everyday things like shampoos, cleaning materials, textiles and paints, just to name a few. The microorganisms Locus creates help in agriculture.
“We can increase the yield of your strawberries or your corn. We can help you use less water, use less fertilizer,” said Lefkowitz.
There is an added benefit. As the crops grow, the plants store carbon dioxide in the soil at a higher rate, creating a new revenue stream for farmers.
“Those carbon credits that the farmers are generating using our technology are being sold and they're making money from it,” said Lefkowitz.
On the horizon is a new product set to launch soon that will help plants grow in drought conditions.
“It drives water down into the root zone much more effectively than we believe anything on the market,” said Lefkowitz.
Locus has even created a probiotic for cows, reducing methane emissions. And an additive that allows the removal of more oil from rock.
“You can put off fracking, you can do less drilling,” stated Lefkowitz. “And by reducing fracking and drilling, you're reducing the carbon footprint, the carbon intensity of oil.”
Locus, headquartered in Solon, started in 2014. Its first product came out three years later. From there business accelerated.
“This is our newest expansion. We put in 11,000-gallon fermenters for our biosurfactant production,” said VP of Production of Locus Fermentation Solutions, Scott Weber during a tour. “This 70,000 square foot facility will eventually be full of 20 to 24 2,000 gallon reactors.”
The new facilities will triple production to meet the demand Locus is committed to fulfilling. And they have already started plans to expand the business again because the global need for these green solutions is vast. Locus is on the right side of history, according to Lefkowitz, helping companies meet their carbon reduction goals.
“We're not going to get them all the way there,” said Lefkowitz. “But we can get them a good portion of the way there.”
And this could be coming to a grocery store near you, Lefkowitz says their productions could lead to food companies making package claims saying their cereal or products help the planet by reducing carbon.