Livestock genetics company WestGen officially opened its new headquarters in Abbotsford on Tuesday.
The co
mpany has relocated after being based in Langley Township for 67 years.
An event at its Angus Campbell Road facility had many dignitaries in attendance, including B.C.’s Lieutenant Governor Judith Guichon, MLA Norm Letnick, Langley Township Mayor Jack Froese, Abbotsford Mayor Henry Braun and WestGen CEO Chris Parry and president Tony DeGroot.
The company, which specializes in artificial insemination of cattle, has completed construction of its new $6 million head office, where roughly 20 of its employees will work. It is also building new barns on the same Abbotsford site, which are expected to be completed within the next year.
A statement from the company said the move to Abbotsford was prompted by a need to be closer to the centre of the province’s cattle industry.
WestGen sells genetic material for the creation of both beef and dairy cattle.
“Moving to Abbotsford was not an easy decision,” said CEO Chris Parry, in statement released when the company first announced its move. “We thought long and hard about whether we move WestGen at all but we realize as a company we need to be connected to our agriculture industry and the heart of the dairy industry. That’s why we came to Abbotsford.”
Also moving to the site is Cryogen, a medicinal-grade liquid nitrogen company, and Boviteq West, a bovine reproduction technology service developed by WestGen.
