Rainbow North America expands supply chain capabilities with new Partner Production Center in Champaign, Illinois

Date:03-05-2025

Rainbow North America announced the establishment of a Partner Production Center in Champaign, IL, marking a significant strategic investment in building full-spectrum supply chain solutions for North America’s most trusted crop protection brands.

Beginning with a 30-acre industrial campus, Rainbow will begin renovation and construction activities as part of a multi-phase expansion effort to deliver high quality crop protection solutions. 

This expansion follows a series of major investments in North America over the past year, including the acquisition and expansion of a high-capacity herbicide formulation center in Houston, TX, the establishment of a North American business team, and the growth of a strategic portfolio of U.S.  and Canadian product registrations. 

″This investment underscores our commitment to strengthening the supply chain for North America’s crop protection industry,″ said Tom Lyons, General Manager at Rainbow North America. ″By expanding our production capabilities and enhancing logistical efficiency, we will facilitate the growth of our partners by simplifying an increasingly complex and aging supply chain ecosystem.″

The Partner Production Center will be purpose-built to meet the evolving needs of North American crop protection brands, incorporating optionality at every level to ensure efficient management of working capital. Key capabilities will include:

•  Diverse import routes to optimize supply chain logistics and predictability

•  Multiple tech-enabled production lines for high capacity, quality herbicide formulations

•  Comprehensive packaging solutions, including bulk, to service the Midwest market

Champaign was strategically selected as the center’s location due to its central positioning to serve Midwestern agriculture and its leadership as a center of excellence for AgTech innovation. Additionally, the region’s highly skilled talent pool and well-established logistical infrastructure will allow Rainbow to better serve partners with speed, efficiency, and reliability.

"We're thrilled to welcome Rainbow North America to the community," said Carly McCrory-McKay, Executive Director at Champaign County Economic Development Corporation. "As an epicenter for AgTech, Champaign-Urbana has a long legacy of agricultural excellence and is rich in resources and talent. We're grateful Rainbow chose Champaign as its next strategic footprint in North America. We look forward to working with them as they develop their Partner Production Center, add jobs in our community, and engage in our local ecosystem."

Development of the Partner Production Center will commence this spring, with production operations in place to support the 2026 growing season. Expansion plans remain open for the future to broaden the portfolio of crop protection products formulated in Champaign.

For more information, visit www.rainbowagro.com.

About Rainbow

Rainbow is a leading global provider of full spectrum crop protection solutions, committed to delivering high-quality products to the agricultural industry. With a growing North American presence, Rainbow is investing in supply chain infrastructure and strategic partnerships to support the evolving needs of North America’s most trusted crop protection brands. Learn more at rainbowagro.com.