BASF plans to buy Becker Underwood

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The world’s largest chemical manufacturer is attempting to buy a global leader in seed-applied biological products.

BASF plans to purchase Becker Underwood for $1.02 billion US from Norwest Equity Partners.

Becker Underwood manufactures a variety of biological plant health products including inoculants and seed treatments.

The deal has a Canadian connection. Becker Underwood acquired MicroBio Group in 2000, which owned Saskatoon inoculant manufacturer MicroBio RhizoGen Corp.

Becker Underwood has 10 production sites around the world and employs 479 people.

BASF’s crop protection division will create a new business unit called Functional Crop Care, which will incorporate BASF’s research, development and marketing activities in the areas of seed treatment, biological crop protection, plant health and water resource management with those of Becker Underwood.

The deal is subject to legal approvals. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2012.

About the author

Sean Pratt has been working at The Western Producer since 1993 after graduating from the University of Regina’s School of Journalism. Sean also has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Saskatchewan and worked in a bank for a few years before switching careers. Sean primarily writes markets and policy stories about the grain industry and has attended more than 100 conferences over the past three decades. He has received awards from the Canadian Farm Writers Federation, North American Agricultural Journalists and the American Agricultural Editors Association.