October 16, 2017

BASF signs agreement to acquire significant parts of Bayer’s seed and non-selective herbicide businesses

Strengthens and expands BASF’s Agricultural Solutions offer

Attractive and targeted portfolio additions in key row crops in select countries

Underpins BASF’s commitment to agriculture, innovation and long-term growth

Ludwigshafen, Germany – October 13, 2017 – BASF has signed an agreement to acquire significant parts of Bayer’s seed and non-selective herbicide businesses. Bayer intends to divest these assets in the context of its planned acquisition of Monsanto. The all-cash purchase price is €5.9 billion, subject to certain adjustments at closing. The assets to be acquired include Bayer’s global glufosinate-ammonium non-selective herbicide business, commercialized under the Liberty®, Basta® and Finale® brands, as well as its seed businesses for key row crops in select markets: canola hybrids in North America under the InVigor® brand using the LibertyLink® trait technology, oilseed rape mainly in European markets, cotton in the Americas and Europe as well as soybean in the Americas. The transaction also includes Bayer’s trait research and breeding capabilities for these crops and the LibertyLink® trait and trademark.
For the full year 2016, sales of the business to be purchased from Bayer amounted to around €1.3 billion and EBITDA to around €385 million. The transaction is subject to the closing of Bayer’s acquisition of Monsanto and approval by relevant authorities. It is expected to close in the first quarter of 2018.
“With this investment, we are seizing the opportunity to acquire highly attractive assets in key row crops and markets. It will be a strategic complement to BASF’s well-established and successful crop protection business as well as to our own activities in biotechnology,” said Dr. Kurt Bock, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF SE. “The acquisition will further enhance our agricultural solutions offer, which is a core pillar of BASF’s portfolio.”

The assets to be acquired by BASF include an attractive seed portfolio for canola / oilseed rape, mainly in North America and Europe.
 
The acquisition complements BASF’s crop protection business, strengthening the company’s herbicide portfolio and marking its entry into the seed business with proprietary assets in key agricultural markets. “Building on the competent new team members and the enhanced portfolio, we will offer farmers a greater choice of solutions addressing their needs for high-quality seeds, chemical and biological crop protection,” explained Saori Dubourg, Member of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF SE and responsible for the Agricultural Solutions segment. “Moreover, this transaction will create new opportunities for future growth and strengthen our global innovation potential.”

The acquisition includes seed assets for key row crops (cotton, canola, soy) and will be a strategic complement to BASF’s well-established and successful crop protection business.
 
More than 1,800 commercial, R&D, breeding and production personnel shall transfer from Bayer to BASF. These employees are primarily located in the United States, Germany, Brazil, Canada and Belgium. Furthermore, BASF will acquire the manufacturing sites for glufosinate-ammonium production and formulation in Germany, the United States, and Canada, seed breeding facilities in the Americas and Europe as well as trait research facilities in the United States and Europe. “We look forward to welcoming our new colleagues to BASF. As highly experienced, dedicated and motivated professionals they will enrich our team with their expert knowledge in crop protection, seeds and traits. Together, we will shape the long-term success of BASF, serving the needs of farmers around the globe,” said Markus Heldt, President of BASF’s Crop Protection division.
For further information, please go to basf.com/grow-with-us.

About BASF
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. The approximately 114,000 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 about €58 billion in 2016. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (BAS). Further information at www.basf.com.

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 €5.6 billion. For more information, please visit us at agriculture.basf.com or on any of our social media channels.

Forward-looking statements
This release contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on current estimates and projections of the Board of Executive Directors and on currently available information. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of the future developments and results outlined therein. Rather, they depend on a number of factors, involve various risks and uncertainties, and are based on assumptions that may not prove to be accurate. Such risk factors particularly include those discussed on pages 111 to 118 of the BASF Report 2016. The BASF Report is available online at basf.com/report. BASF does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements contained in this release.

Business Media 
Jens Fey
Media Relations
Phone:
+49 621 60-99123
jens.fey@basf.com

 Trade Media
 Dr. Kristina Winzen
 Phone: +49 621 60-28633
 kristina.winzen@basf.com

 Investor Relations
 Dr. Stefanie Wettberg
 Phone: +49 621 60-48002
 stefanie.wettberg@basf.com

BASF SE
67056 Ludwigshafen
Phone: +49 621 60-0
http://www.basf.com/

 

Media Relations
Phone: +49 621 60-20916
presse.kontakt@basf.com

 

 

More News

See all

September 29, 2023

Green growth takes center stage at Vietnam Green Building Week

Read more

September 29, 2023

[CORPORATE SUPPORT] BASF Vietnam and partners rebuild seventh school for 100 students

Read more

September 29, 2023

EuroCham attends discussions on the draft decree pertaining to the 2023 Tendering Law

Read more

September 29, 2023

EuroCham unveils upcoming Green Economy Forum (GEF) 2023 at Hanoi press conference

Read more

September 29, 2023

[CORPORATE SUPPORT] Nestlé ranks first in coffee sustainability

Read more

September 28, 2023

Empowering Vietnam’s agricultural sector: EuroCham attends seminar on innovation for export competitiveness in agriculture

Read more

September 28, 2023

EuroCham Transportation and Logistics Sector Committee Meets with Ba Ria-Vung Tau Customs

Read more

September 22, 2023

EuroCham Vietnam attended National Assembly’s Vietnam Socio-Economic Forum 2023: Reinforcing Internal Capacity for Sustainable Growth

Read more

September 22, 2023

EuroCham Medical Devices and Diagnostics Sector Committee (MDDSC) joined ASEAN Common Submission Dossier Template Workshop

Read more

September 22, 2023

EuroCham’s collaborative meetings with the EU Ambassador-Designate Julien Guerrier

Read more

September 22, 2023

EuroCham Vietnam extended a warm welcome to French Ambassador to Vietnam H.E .Olivier Brochet

Read more

September 22, 2023

EuroCham Vietnam joined a launch of the “Circular Economy & Pioneering Models” book

Read more

September 21, 2023

EuroCham Vietnam hosts an exclusive evening to welcome EU Ambassador-Designate to Vietnam

Read more

September 15, 2023

EuroCham engages in a productive dialogue with the Administrative Procedures Control Agency and Reform (ACAPR)

Read more

September 15, 2023

A resounding success: Vietnam International Sourcing Expo 2023 and the EU-VN Trade Forum

Read more

September 15, 2023

[Event recap] EuroCham Women in Business Sector Committee hosted successful Roundtable on Gender Pay gap with Fulbright Professor Graeme Walker

Read more

September 15, 2023

[Sector Committee spotlight] Food, Agri and Aqua Business Sector Committee (FAABS)

Read more

September 14, 2023

Ho Chi Minh City Economic Forum 2023 and the 100 CEOs -Tea Connect spotlight green growth and net zero initiatives

Read more

September 12, 2023

EuroCham Vietnam engages in key talks with Luxembourg delegation to bolster EU-Vietnam economic relations

Read more

September 08, 2023

EuroCham participates in an inaugural meeting of Government Taskforce on Administrative Reforms (APR)

Read more

September 08, 2023

[CORPORATE] First Bayer ForwardFarm of Southeast Asia launched in Vietnam

Read more

September 08, 2023

EuroCham contributes to a critical discussion on attracting foreign investment in high-technology and promoting technology transfer

Read more

September 07, 2023

EuroCham Food, Agri, and Aqua Business Sector Committee (FAABS) explores sustainable aquaculture solutions at Skretting Factory in Long An

Read more

August 31, 2023

EuroCham delegation visits Bac Giang to discuss EU-Vietnam business trends

Read more

August 25, 2023

EuroCham Green Growth Sector Committee spotlights blue-green infrastructure solutions

Read more

August 25, 2023

EuroCham Vietnam engages authorities and state-owned enterprises to drive green growth and spotlight GEF 2023

Read more

August 25, 2023

[SUPPORTED EVENT] Nestlé Vietnam – Innovation and sustainability bring competitive advantages in business

Read more

August 25, 2023

[Sector Committee spotlight] Legal Sector Committee (LSC)

Read more

August 24, 2023

EuroCham’s Tourism and Hospitality Sector Committee visits Binh Thuan to explore tourism promotion collaboration

Read more

August 24, 2023

[Event recap][Business Luncheon] Mid-year review and Forecast for the second half of the year On the Vietnamese Economy

Read more

Pour une expérience optimale, veuillez tenir votre mobile à la verticale !

Platinum Partners

Gold Premium Partners

Gold Partners

Silver Partners

Premium Service Partners