From pets at home to livestock across the globe, animal health products move through the AgWorks Corridor every day. 

Merck Animal Health operates two important facilites in the AgWorks Corridor: a major manufacturing site in Elkhorn and a global distribution center in Omaha. Together, the facilities play critical roles in the company’s worldwide supply chain. 

The operations show how the AgWorks Corridor supports animal health companies with specialized talent, manufacturing capabilities and access to global distribution. The connected, 11-county business ecosystem spans the greater Lincoln–Omaha region in Nebraska and Iowa. 

“Our goal is to maximize the wellness of the animals we’re serving and their owners,” said Nate Rasmussen, Executive Director of Operations at Merck. “Here, a huge part of our portfolio are companion animal vaccines.” 

Those products go to pet owners across the country, as well as a multitude of others produced for the livestock industry, in the U.S., Canada, Central and South America, China and Asia Pacific countries. 

The region’s central location makes it an ideal hub. 

“Nearly all of Merck’s products that are made in the U.S. arrive in Omaha for distribution,” Rasmussen explained. “Packaging, final-stage manufacturing and distribution all happen here. It creates a critical mass of activity and makes us more efficient from a supply chain standpoint.” 

Omaha’s workforce is a major factor in Merck Animal Health’s success. 

“We have a long history of biotech successes, and there’s healthy competition for talent. The University of Nebraska–Omaha and Lincoln and the University of Nebraska Medical Center, along with our community colleges, have done a very good job of developing that talent.” 

Merck Animal Health has worked with Omaha’s Metro Community College to develop its first biotech program. They saw the need in their own workforce and the college saw the opportunity to develop higher-level science expertise in the broader Omaha workforce. 

Merck employs more than 300 full-time staff in Elkhorn, with another 60–75 at the Omaha distribution center in addition to several hundred contractors. The company’s workforce spans a wide range of roles, from material preparation and manufacturing to advanced research and development. 

The region’s business-friendly environment is a key asset. 

“It’s easy to do business here. The people are great to work with,” Rasmussen said.