Arysta LifeScience Announces Acquisition of Volcano
PAU, FRANCE – August 11, 2005 – Arysta LifeScience today announced that
it has agreed to acquire 50 percent of Callietha Investments (Pty)
Limited, parent company of the Callietha group of companies which
includes Volcano Agroscience (Pty) Limited. Volcano will become an
affiliate of Arysta LifeScience, managed through the Europe, Africa,
Middle East region based in Pau, and will continue to trade under the
Volcano name. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
“Volcano gives us a strong presence in Southern Africa, with an
enviable development and marketing capability,” said Arysta LifeScience
President and CEO Chris Richards. “The company has a deep understanding
of sugar cane, which is one of our company’s target crops globally. In
addition, Volcano has world-class granule formulation technology and
capacity which will significantly strengthen our global formulation
capability.”
As part of the agreement, Arysta LifeScience will coordinate its
activities for Southern Africa through Volcano, and the parties will
jointly strengthen their existing global distribution network outside
of Southern Africa. Volcano and the Callietha group of companies
include products and expertise in an important range of cereals, corn
and sugar cane herbicides and an interesting position in the
insecticide market.
“Our partnership with Arysta LifeScience is an exciting development
in the future prospects of Volcano,” said Chairman Robert Maingard, of
the Callietha group. “We look forward to combining the strengths and
resources of both partners to enhance our presence in the market.”
“Volcano will provide Arysta LifeScience with the opportunity to
grow in Southern Africa and extend our strength in Central, Eastern and
Western Africa,” said Eric Barbedette, vice president and CEO of Arysta
LifeScience Europe, Africa, Middle East. “The Volcano portfolio is
oriented to generic products, so our goal will be to extend our high
value products portfolio to them and create greater opportunities for
both companies.”
Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, Arysta LifeScience is the world’s
largest privately-held crop protection and life science company with
2004 revenues of ¥103.2 billion (US$1 billion). An entrepreneurial
provider of crop protection and life science products in more than 100
countries worldwide, Arysta LifeScience specializes in the marketing
and distribution of respected crop protection brands and life science
products in harmony with the needs of global producers. More
information on the company is available at: www.arystalifescience.com
For more information, please contact:South Africa Company Extends Arysta LifeScience’s Global Reach
Eric Barbedette
Vice-president / CEO Arysta LifeScience Europe, Africa, Middle East (EAME)
Direct line tel +33 (0) 5 59 60 92 03
Email: eric.barbedette@arystalifescience.com