Karsten Smet, CEO of ACI Group, looks at ways the pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries can adapt to changing times

BASF is to end production of three chemicals at its main site in Ludwigshafen. This is part of an ongoing strategic review that is being undertaken “to ensure competitiveness under changing market conditions” and will lead to about 180 job cuts.

Barentz International has acquired distributors in two different regions in short order. The acquisition of Insuqui in Paraguay followed a few weeks after that of the Anshul Life Sciences Group in India. Terms were not disclosed in either deal and the existing management teams will remain in place.

Price pressure stalls re-shoring in US agrochemicals, but business was brisk with positive energy at the Specialty & Agro Chemicals America event. Gregory D.L. Morris reports from Savannah

FMC Corporation has agreed to sell its Global Specialty Solutions (GSS) business to Envu for $350 million, subject to closing working capital adjustment. The deal is expected to close by year-end 2024, subject to regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions. FMC intends to allocate all proceeds to debt reduction.

India’s PI Industries has agreed to acquire UK-based Plant Health Care (PHC), a specialist in protein and peptide technology for agricultural applications, for £32 million. This is subject to a UK court process, which, among other things, requires approval by shareholders holding at least 75% of the shares. It is expected to be completed by Q2 of the 2025 fiscal year.

Market and sustainability trends are positive drivers for Saltigo, despite the agro downturn. Andrew Warmington met up with the new CEO at Chemspec Europe

Chemspec Europe 2024 in Düsseldorf on 19-20 June was the first for the new CEO of Saltigo. Michael Schäfer had been with the parent company Lanxess since 2007, mostly in the Material Protection Products business unit, which he headed for ten years before moving to take over at Saltigo in February.