(PARSIPPANY, N.J) -- Dutch Ambassador Renee Jones-Bos traveled to Greenville, N.C. on Monday to meet with the management of the DSM operations. The Ambassador also toured the facilities in an effort to gain insight and understanding into DSM's business, and the Greenville community.

DSM has been in continuous operation for more than 100 years, originating in the Limburg Province of the Netherlands as a coal mining company. Recently, the Dutch Embassy released a report that said the economic imprint the Netherlands has in the United States supports more than 700,000 jobs.

DSM is one of Greenville's, and Pitt County's, largest employers with nearly 1,200 employees working at its Greenville Pharmaceutical and Dyneema facilities. DSM has additional operations in North Carolina in Stanley.

"DSM is a perfect example of the strong economic ties between the Netherlands and North Carolina," said Ambassador Jones-Bos.  Dutch companies in 'the Tar Heel State' support more than 22,000 jobs, according to Ambassador Jones-Bos. "In fact, the Netherlands is the 6th largest foreign investor in the state."

"We are honored and delighted to have been able to welcome Madam Ambassador to Greenville; important operations for North Carolina, and for DSM," said Alexander Wessels, Chairman of DSM North America and CEO and President of DSM Pharmaceutical Products.