BASF investments aid growers and local communities

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., March 21, 2017 – BASF today announced the completion of its Beaumont, Texas, facility expansion, the only dicamba manufacturing facility in the U.S. for the agriculture industry. The Beaumont site received more than $270 million in capital improvements in the last three years, making it BASF’s largest agricultural products facility investment in company history.  In addition, BASF has invested more than $290 million in its eight other North American agricultural products production sites and facilities that support its agricultural business, helping to provide solutions for growers and contributing to the economic development of the communities it serves.

 

“Our commitment to North America is clear. The agricultural market is changing, and growers are demanding the newest and most effective technologies to increase profitability,” said Paul Rea, Senior Vice President, Crop Protection, BASF North America. “BASF responded to growers’ needs by making significant investments in production to deliver effective solutions to help farmers manage weed resistance and produce higher yields. We could not have done this without our skilled workforce in Beaumont and across North America who not only help growers, but also help drive our economy.”

 

BASF has more than 50 years of technical experience with the active ingredient dicamba and today is the market leader in global dicamba supply. With glyphosate-resistant weeds identified on more than two-thirds of U.S. crop land, it is crucial for growers to have new tools to build effective weed control programs that utilize multiple sites of action.

 

Engenia™ herbicide, BASF’s newest innovation, is part of a complete weed control system, providing a simple and reliable herbicide option following a residual herbicide. The herbicide features a completely new dicamba molecule, BAPMA salt, which is designed specifically for dicamba-tolerant soybeans and cotton. This innovative formulation is unique to BASF and contains a heavier weight and stronger bond relative to DGA and DMA dicamba formulations. The advancements in formulation and application reduce volatility and off-target movement of the dicamba molecule.

 

“Of the many hurdles growers face each season, weed resistance has become a top challenge in recent years,” said Matt Huie of Texas-based 1349 Food & Fiber. “We rely on innovative, new technologies to help us control weeds and maximize crop output. The current environment makes high yields an absolute necessity and that is only accomplished with clean, weed-free fields.”

 

As part of the Engenia herbicide launch, BASF is also offering in-person and online training through the On Target Application Academy (OTAA). This one-of-a-kind educational opportunity provides extensive training that promotes correct and effective herbicide application.

 

“We expect the demand for dicamba and herbicides like Engenia to increase and the Beaumont facility will be critical in meeting this need,” said Thomas Bereswill, Director, BASF AP Manufacturing Americas. “This expansion not only served our customers, but our community as well. We were able to hire 700 contractors in addition to the current 175 on-site employees to complete the project on time.”

 

BASF has completed similar expansion projects at eight of its other North American agricultural production facilities, including its Hannibal, Missouri, and Sparks, Georgia, sites.

 

Always read and follow label directions.

 

 

Engenia is a trademark of BASF.

 

About BASF’s Crop Protection division

 

With a rapidly growing population, the world is increasingly dependent on our ability to develop and maintain sustainable agriculture and healthy environments. BASF’s Crop Protection division works with farmers, agricultural professionals, pest management experts and others to help make this possible. With their cooperation, BASF is able to sustain an active R&D pipeline, an innovative portfolio of products and services, and teams of experts in the lab and in the field to support customers in making their businesses succeed. In 2016, BASF’s Crop Protection division generated sales of more than €5.6 billion. For more information, please visit us at www.agriculture.basf.com or on any of our  social media channels.

 

About BASF

 

BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has more than 17,500 employees in North America, and had sales of $16.2 billion in 2016. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, visit www.basf.us.

 

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. The approximately 112,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into five segments: Chemicals, Performance Products, Functional Materials & Solutions, Agricultural Solutions and Oil & Gas. BASF generated sales of more than €70 billion in 2015. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (BAS). Further information at  www.basf.com.