BASF to Close Herbicide Plants
BASF has announced it will close two herbicide plants by 2022 as it seeks to strengthen its competitive position. The facilities are located in Knapsack, Germany, where the company currently operates three plants, and Muskegon, Michigan, USA. The closures will affect about 100 workers.
The sites produce non-selective herbicide glufosinate-ammonium (GA) and its intermediates. BASF said that in future, production will be concentrated at plants and sites in Germany, Canada and the US.
“This step is part of further developing the GA business long-term to strengthen BASF’s competitive positioning in the non-selective herbicide segment to better serve our customers,” said Vincent Gros, president of BASF’s Agricultural Solutions division. “We remain committed to the GA product line, as the recently announced acquisition of the Glu-L technology from AgriMetis shows.”
BASF bought Glu-L in September, a move it said will enable it to provide farmers with an improved formulation to protect against troublesome weeds. Farmers applying Glu-L technology can reduce the amount of crop protection they need to apply by up to 50%, BASF said.
Glu-L has been submitted to the US Environmental Protection Agency and will launch in the next few years upon approval.
Author: Elaine Burridge, Freelance Journalist
