Laboratorios ARBO S.R.L. is a company located in the city of Junín (Buenos Aires, Argentina). It was created in 1982 with the appearance of inoculants ene-2 (registered trademark) on the market during the 1983-1984 campaign.

Two recently graduated Biochemists at the National University of La Plata, carrying out their PhD thesis in aspects related to Bioprocesses (cultivation of microorganisms in bioreactors for the production of substances of industrial interest) gave rise to the company.

In 1986 the production of an oil-based inoculant (widely disseminated at that time) was incorporated. Investment in special equipment was necessary (centrifuges, liquid packaging machines, etc.). In 1996 ARBO launched inoculants with plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPR).

Laboratorios ARBO was incorporating new facilities since its creation. The fermentation volume is more than 35,000 liters (20 fermenters) and in continuous expansion. This fermentation capacity makes it possible to produce significant amounts of soybean inoculants (ene-2) for the domestic market, for third-party companies (fason) and for export.

The original facilities were rebuilt and improved for the production of water-based inoculants. Another building for commercial offices, meeting rooms and other laboratories was incorporated. Moreover a land of 10,000 m² was bought with more than 1,800 m² of covered area for:

• Storage of supplies and products in cold stores.

• Local and regional distribution center with own trucks, with refrigeration equipment

• Area of formulation and packaging of other products: fungicides, pH correctors, foliar fertilizers, protectors, adhesives, etc.

The company is characterized by the development of its own products. All types of inoculants, and also productive strategies, were developed in our laboratory. For this reason, and owning an important installed capacity, our growth has been associated mainly with the production of inoculants for other companies. Since the 80’s we produce many commercial brands, some of them leaders in the national market and others that are sold abroad.

Since 2012 we export inoculant Rizoform and protector-additive Static to a leading Russian company in the agrochemical market (Schyolkovo Agrochim, Russia) that are marketed in that country and other countries of the Russian Federation. We also export soybean inoculants and protective additives to Colombia, South Africa and the United States.

We have also have transferred the complete know how for the production of water-based inoculants to an important Argentinean company.

Since 2018 we export frozen Rhizobium biomass concentrates (aseptically obtained cell mass) of many different rhizobia species to USA and South Africa. For this we have installed a new sector of Down Stream Process (centrifugation and filtration). These products are used by other companies to formulate different types of inoculants for a large number of legumes.

We have developed an absolutely original alfalfa seed preinoculation technology, which was used by Produsem (Pergamino, Argentina) during years 1999 and 2001 and, since then, used by a leading company in the Argentine seed treatment market (pelletizing and coating). We work constantly on improving the quality of the final product and on alternatives for the preinoculation of pastures with PGPR.

We have developed a soybean inoculation technology that allows farmers to carry out the treatment at least two weeks before planting.