Two months after the signing of the basic contract for the acquisition of the Cyanamid division of the American Home Products Corporation, BASF announced today the organization of the future business. "Our new organization has to reflect the global character of the combined crop protection business of BASF and Cyanamid," said Friedrich Vogel, present and future President of BASF's Crop Protection division. "It is our goal to build a fully integrated operation fast and
decisively. In this process, a special focus will be on the business in North and South America. Our aim is to keep the best people and business practices of both organizations and to be ready for the next season." 

Pending regulatory approvals, the global headquarters will be moved to Mount Olive, New Jersey, USA, to be closer to the decisive region. The headquarters will comprise the Strategic Marketing and the Global Supply Chain units as well as the staff functions such as Global Human Resources, Controlling, Information Technology and Communications. 

"With this reorganization, our Agricultural Center Limburgerhof will assume a new role," said Eggert Voscherau, member of BASF's Board of Executive Directors with the responsibility for the company's Health and Nutrition segment. "Here we will have the seat of the combined European organization, the global headquarter of BASF Plant Sciences and the Strategic Marketing Fungicides. Global Research, Registration/Product Safety and Manufacturing will be located in
Ludwigshafen and Limburgerhof, Germany." 

The worldwide business will be directed through five regional organizations: 

• The European and the Middle East/Africa/CIS leadership will be based in Limburgerhof and Ludwigshafen, Germany. 
• The North American business unit will be based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. 
• The Latin American business unit will be based in Mount Olive, New Jersey, USA. 
• The Asian business unit will be based in Singapore. 

"This timely first step demonstrates our dedication to a speedy process in order to be ready for the next season with a new and highly motivated business team," Vogel said. 

In 1999, BASF's Crop Protection division had sales of Euro 1.745 billion. In March, the company announced that it intends to acquire Cyanamid's crop protection business, making BASF one of the leading players in crop protection. 

BASF is a return-focused global company generating long-term growth and profitability from its activities in chemicals, health and nutrition, and oil and gas. The company's product range includes high-value chemicals, plastics, dyestuffs, dispersions, automobile and industrial coatings, crop protection products, pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals, crude oil and natural gas. With sales in 1999 of Euro 29.5 billion (about $29.5 billion) and a workforce of 105,000 employees, BASF is one of the world's top chemical companies.

Company news release
N2697