Biodapt® - Gantec Inc. - Export of the Year
This article appeared in the Nov/Dec 2024 issue of MiMfg Magazine. Read the full issue and find past issues online.
The leaders of Gantec Inc. have traveled the world in pursuit of the perfect solutions for stronger crops and have provided these resources to numerous countries, resulting in job growth and economic benefits in Michigan.
Recipients of the Michigan Manufactured Export of the Year leverage export resources to expand their products into global markets with the goals of growing and diversifying revenue and supporting Michigan jobs. Biodapt® by Midland-based Gantec benefits the global agricultural industry as a whole while supporting Michigan jobs and its economy and, for that, Gantec has received this 2024 honor.
Behind the Technology
Plants are limited in their ability to protect themselves from pests, feed themselves or shelter against the elements, such as drought, rain, cold, ice/snow and high winds. They have to fend for themselves while remaining stationary, and Gantec’s specialized products help plants cope with and adapt to such conditions.
Biodapt® technology is an innovative solution now used by farmers around the world to enhance and optimize crop growth, yield and quality. The eco-friendly agricultural product works by increasing plants’ uptake of nutrients such as calcium, boron and manganese, which results in elevating their performance in stressful temperature and moisture conditions.
Gantec Inc. formed in 2005 after its founders, Dr. Joe Affholter, Richard Olson, Brian Molitor and Dr. Lanny Robbins began looking at plants that thrive in extreme environments around the world to determine how they could use the essential elements of these plants to strengthen other crops. With unique and proprietary sourcing, extraction and formulation processes, the biotechnology company has created more than 12 products, including Biodapt®, for specific fruits, vegetables and animal feed.
“We really believe that it’s going to transform the world,” says Ryan Lister, Business and Logistics Manager at Gantec. “Biodapt® comes out of our core technology called Bioadaptive Supplementation. That’s what all our technology is based around: finding these plants that thrive in extreme environments, taking the biological extracts that we can take from them and giving them to other crops.”
Mark Potts, General Manager of Biodapt GmbH, says the fact that Biodapt® is made through Bioadaptive Supplementation and extraction chemistry makes it unique in the industry, adding that their products only require a few ounces per acre to be effective. Because the solution helps plants protect themselves, it also increases yield and profitability for growers, resulting in a profound impact on global food production.
“We’re looking at supplementing the traditional inputs of agriculture, which are fertilizers and plant protection products, commonly known as pesticides,” Potts adds. “Our technology works well with those pillars of traditional agriculture, but it can help plants do more by strengthening their ability to adapt to their environments.”
Lister says big changes are coming in the agriculture industry regarding how to feed the world and how to grow products more sustainably.
“Much of what agriculture is based on is around fertilizers and pesticides — so I can feed the plant, kill pests, kill weeds. There isn’t much of a middle ground in terms of how to help plants just be healthier. How do we help plants adapt to some of the stresses that they’re going to face?” Lister says. “Biodapt® has had a huge impact in terms of sustainability and resiliency in agriculture.”
Around the World and Back
Gantec sells products to businesses of various sizes in several U.S. states and in countries around the world, with their European market being twice the size of their U.S. market.
To successfully export Biodapt® technology, Gantec leveraged resources from Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development and the Detroit office of the U.S. Commercial Service, including seminars and the expertise of international trade specialists. They also benefited from two Michigan State Trade Expansion Grants. Amazingly, Gantec has expanded successfully into global markets in just five years with all research, formulation and product development happening at the company’s single facility in Midland.
Lister notes that people around the world are pushing for healthier, more natural produce.
“We really believe our technology can change the global market and answer the needs that consumers are looking for in terms of growing better food, growing more food and growing things more sustainably,” he says.
Gantec’s global expansion also means greater opportunities for local employees based on the company’s manufacturing, technology development and global expansion needs, Potts says.
For these reasons and many others, Biodapt® by Gantec has been recognized as the 2024 Michigan Manufactured Export of the Year.
The Michigan Manufactured Export award is part of the annual Manufacturing Excellence Awards which celebrates the leaders and products that are pushing the industry forward. Learn more about the awards program and gala.
The 2024 Michigan Manufactured Export award was sponsored by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Visit online: michiganbusiness.org.