Creating brighter lives for all

In 2011, DSM, a Netherlands-based provider of sustainable innovation in the global nutrition space, acquired Martek. Based in Columbia, MD, Martek’s mission to create brighter lives through science perfectly aligned with DSM. Now a unified team, DSM Nutritional Products continued to operate out of Martek’s existing headquarters at 6480 Dobbin Road in Columbia. This campus included 80,000 square feet of office and research and development facilities spread out across three buildings. But soon after the merger, leadership began to examine its real estate footprint with a more discerning eye. Was it right to stay in Columbia? How could they use space more efficiently and economically? It was at this point that Vice President, Chris Lindsay engaged Joe Judge, Jim Cahill and Pete Briskman from JLL’s Life Sciences Practice Group to help uncover an optimal real estate solution for this mission-driven, product-focused company.

The JLL team worked closely with Chris to develop a strategic real estate plan for DSM, modeling out several scenarios including a build-to-suit option on their current campus, relocation to an existing building and a relocation to a built-to-suit option off-campus. JLL helped Chris and his team conduct a detailed labor analysis to identify employee commute patterns and understand the implications a move or renovation would have on employees. To complement this labor analysis, JLL’s workplace strategy experts surveyed employee work patterns and behaviors. Upon review of this data and workplace strategy, JLL recommended that DSM stay on their current campus but consolidate their three buildings into two. As a result, DSM improved operating efficiencies and reduced their real estate footprint by 16%. DSM has engaged JLL’s project management team to lead the renovations, resulting in an environment more conducive to collaboration, one that will allow the company to fulfill its mission of creating brighter lives for all through science.