Chr. Hansen & FMC Corporation announce global stra

Hoersholm, 2013-10-07 07:59 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --  

Company announcement no. 23/2013

In line with its recently announced “Nature’s No. 1” strategy Chr. Hansen enters the rapidly growing biological plant protection market through an exclusive global strategic alliance with FMC covering development and commercialization of biological crop protection products.

“The global agriculture sector is facing a massive productivity challenge in the years ahead, and biological solutions will become an ever more important way to address this challenge. We are excited about this new alliance, which accelerates our entry in the plant protection market by combining Chr. Hansen’s unique technology platform for bacterial solutions with FMC’s strong route to market and application know-how”, says Christian Barker, Executive Vice President, Health & Nutrition Division, Chr. Hansen Holding A/S.

“No one knows microbiology and fermentation better than the team at Chr. Hansen. Their expertise in scouting, screening and scale-up production complements the work we do so well in formulation and bringing products to market. We look forward to working with Chr. Hansen to create a broad portfolio of biological solutions”, says Mark A. Douglas, president, FMC Agricultural Solutions.

The new strategic alliance creates a powerful foundation for FMC and Chr. Hansen to compete in the multi-billion dollar biological crop protection market. Under the arrangement, Chr. Hansen will provide scouting, screening, scale up and fermentation manufacturing expertise while FMC will provide scouting, screening, formulation capabilities, product development and registration experience as well as global market access. The two companies will develop new products, knowledge and biological expertise within the collaboration’s framework.

The new alliance builds on an existing collaboration between the two companies, under which a Brazilian launch of the Sugarcane Nemix C product will be made in late 2013, targeting the biggest sugarcane market in the world of 9 million hectares. Nemix C increases growth and yield through enhanced root development and protection and is a purely biological product. Going forward, the alliance will expand into additional geographies and crop types with existing and new products.

FMC Corporation is a diversified chemical company serving agricultural, industrial, environmental, and consumer markets globally for more than a century with innovative solutions, applications and quality products. In 2012, FMC had annual sales of approximately USD 3.7 billion. The company employs approximately 6,000 people throughout the world, and operates its businesses in four segments: FMC Agricultural Solutions, FMC Health and Nutrition, FMC Minerals, and FMC Peroxygens. For more information, visit www.FMC.com.

Chr. Hansen is a global bioscience company that develops natural solutions for the food, nutritional, pharmaceutical and agricultural industries. All solutions are based on strong research and development competencies and significant technology investments. The company enjoys market leadership in all its divisions: Cultures & Enzymes, Health & Nutrition, and Natural Colors Division. There are more than 2,500 dedicated employees in 30 countries.

As stated in company announcement no. 22, 3 September 2013 the five-year financial ambition for the Health & Nutrition Division is an average annual organic growth rate above 10% from the core business. Plant protection is expected to add additional growth towards the end of the period.

For further information, please contact:

Christian Barker, EVP Health & Nutrition, Tel: +45 4574 7474

Anders Mohr Christensen, Senior Director IR, Tel: +45 4574 7618

Kristine Ahrensbach, Director Corporate Communications, Tel: +45 4574 7623

Forward-looking statements

The forward-looking statements in this announcement are subject to risks and uncertainties, as various factors, many of which are beyond the control of Chr. Hansen Holding A/S, may cause actual developments and results to differ materially from the expectations expressed in the announcement.