New Syngenta Seed Care Institute to Provide Best-In-Class Customer Service
BASEL, Switzerland, Nov. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Syngenta will build a new Seed Care Institute at its Research and Development Center in Stein, Switzerland. This new, state-of-the-art center will serve as Syngenta's global R&D facility for developing and testing seed treatment technologies. It will significantly expand the company's capability to serve its customers, including seed companies, seed treaters and growers.
Construction will start in the first quarter of 2006 and completion is expected by mid-2007. The total investment will be approximately $7 million in addition to the $40 million investment to build a new chemistry research laboratory for disease and insect control products announced earlier this year.
"This investment will accelerate our innovation capability and underpins our ambition to become the leader in this fast-growing segment," said Kris Sirchio, Head of Syngenta Professional Products. "The Institute will be an industry-leading center for technology development and training. It will enable novel seed treatments and associated services to reach the market sooner."
Seed treatment, a technology in which crop protection ingredients are applied directly onto the seeds prior to sowing, is one of the most efficient and economic ways to protect crops from fungi, bacteria and insects. It is also the fastest-growing segment in crop protection, with a projected global market value of about $1.4 billion in 2005.
Syngenta is a world-leading agribusiness committed to sustainable agriculture through innovative research and technology. The company is a leader in crop protection, and ranks third in the high-value commercial seeds market. Sales in 2004 were approximately $7.3 billion. Syngenta employs some 20,000 people in over 90 countries. Syngenta is listed on the Swiss stock exchange (SYNN) and in New York (NYSE:SYT). Further information is available at http://www.syngenta.com/.
Media Enquiries:
Switzerland:Guy Wolff Tel: +41 (61) 323 2323
USA:Sarah Hull Tel: +1 (202) 628 2372
UK:Andrew Coker Tel: +44 (1483) 26 0014
Analysts/Investors:
Switzerland:Jonathan Seabrook Tel: +41 (61) 323 7502
Jennifer Gough Tel: +41 (61) 323 5059
USA:Rhonda Chiger Tel: +1 (917) 322 2569
Source: Syngenta
CONTACT: Media, Switzerland: Guy Wolff, +41-61-323-2323, USA: Sarah Hull, +1-202-628-2372, UK: Andrew Coker, +44-1483-26-0014, or Analysts/Investors, Switzerland: Jonathan Seabrook, +41-61-323-7502, Jennifer Gough, +41-61-323-5059, USA: Rhonda Chiger, +1-917-322-2569
Web site: http://www.syngenta.com/
