Silver lining

Natural Immunogenics was ready for its next step. The manufacturer of mineral hydrosol health supplements had outgrown its 11,000-square-foot facility in Pompano Beach. And with no real reason why it had to stay on the east coast of Florida, the company began to look at other locations in the Sunshine State and North Carolina.

Manatee County won. Natural Immunogenics relocated to a site off Tallevast Road near Sarasota Bradenton International Airport in September 2014. The company retrofitted an existing manufacturing space and built it out even further to create a 32,000-square-foot facility with a state-of-the-art laboratory, custom production equipment and large distribution
plant.

“We wanted to find a place where we could develop a campus, our own community,” says Natural Immunogenics CEO Scott Short. “The company found this place and fell in love.”

It didn't hurt that it was near the water and still in Florida, says Short. Another plus: Manatee County economic development officials provided valuable relocation assistance to the firm.

The area has proved a good fit for the maker of colloidal silver supplements, used by consumers for everything from building up their immune systems to dealing with gastrointestinal issues. “There's a very nice synergy between the cultural aspects and the lifestyle of the area and the principles of our company,” says Director of Marketing Ami DeWille. “Sarasota and Bradenton seem to be more ahead of the curve than the rest of the country in healthy living, and that aligned very well.”

The new facility allows Natural Immunogenics to have all aspects of the company self-contained at one location. “We control from source to consumer,” says Short. “So everything that we produce is produced here; everything that we ship is shipped from here. That's important to us.”

The site's larger size and increased capabilities also help the firm keep up with consumer demand for its products. Those include its Sovereign Silver dietary supplements and first-aid gel and its Argentyn 23 professional line of colloidal silver products, available only through licensed health care practitioners. While Short declined to provide any specific figures or statistics related to sales, growth or demand, he would say that the company has “more than doubled our size in the last three years,” saying that applies to all aspects of the firm.

Natural Immunogenics has almost 60 employees, adding hires in areas such as operations, human resources and sales. Dr. Robert MacCuspie, a research chemist, was recently named director of laboratories and senior scientist.

MacCuspie will spearhead the company's research on the usage of nanotechnology and new product development. At the National Institute of Standards and Technology, he focused on nanomaterial environmental health and safety and silver nanoparticles. He was also the first faculty member hired by Florida Polytechnic University in Lakeland, serving as director of the school's nanotechnology and multifunctional materials programs.

“He's allowing us to challenge ourselves and to create more opportunities for consumer products,” says Short. “We're always looking at advancements in nanotechnology.”

While some folks did move from Pompano Beach with the company, many hires came from the area. And there are plans to capitalize on local talent even more. DeWille, for example, sees possibilities for partnerships with the Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota.

“We currently don't have an internal creative department; it's on the growth plan,” says DeWille. “But in my past I've really found great success leveraging creative students.”