pcNewsWire – Agrium Inc. (TSX/NYSE: AGU), through its subsidiary Loveland Products, Inc., has acquired Starpharma Holdings Limited‘s agrochemical business focused on development of its proprietary Priostar® dendrimer polymer technology portfolio for A$35 million.
The acquisition is comprised of key intellectual property, as well as a small number of dedicated staff based in Melbourne, Australia. These assets will support Agrium’s innovation and technology strategy through the ability to continue providing unique proprietary products that address existing and emerging grower challenges.
News Release
Agrium Announces Acquisition of Starpharma’s Agrochemical Polymer Technology Business
Tuesday, June 13, 2017
CALGARY, AB – (Marketwired – June 13, 2017) – Agrium Inc. (TSX:AGU) (NYSE:AGU), through its subsidiary Loveland Products, Inc. announced today that it has closed on the acquisition of Starpharma Holdings Limited’s agrochemical business focused on development of its proprietary Priostar® dendrimer polymer technology portfolio for A$35 million. The acquisition is comprised of key intellectual property, as well as a small number of dedicated staff based in Melbourne, Australia. These assets will support Agrium’s innovation and technology strategy through the ability to continue providing unique proprietary products that address existing and emerging grower challenges.
This acquisition will lay the foundation for the continued development and commercialization of the Priostar® dendrimer polymer technology across a broad base of Loveland Products’ crop protection and specialty nutrition products, improving product performance and further enhancing Agrium Retail’s full solutions offering to growers. This technology has proven to provide numerous benefits including better weed control capabilities, formulation stability and reduced environmental impacts.
“This acquisition represents an exciting strategic technology platform for Loveland Products that will serve to further differentiate our proprietary product line and open new product development partnership opportunities. Agrium is uniquely positioned to commercialize this technology across our 1,500 ag-retail centers, which service hundreds of thousands of growers in key agricultural markets globally,” said Chuck Magro, President & CEO of Agrium.
About Agrium
Agrium Inc. is a major global producer and distributor of agricultural products, services and solutions. Agrium produces nitrogen, potash and phosphate fertilizers, with a combined wholesale nutrient capacity of over nine million tonnes and with significant competitive advantages across our product lines. We supply key products and services directly to growers, including crop nutrients, crop protection, seed, as well as agronomic and application services, thereby helping growers to meet the ever growing global demand for food and fibre. Agrium retail-distribution has an unmatched network of over 1,500 facilities and over 3,800 crop consultants who provide advice and products to our grower customers to help them increase their yields and returns on hundreds of different crops. With a focus on sustainability, the company strives to improve the communities in which it operates through safety, education, environmental improvement and new technologies such as the development of precision agriculture and controlled release nutrient products. Agrium is focused on driving operational excellence across our businesses, pursuing value-enhancing growth opportunities and returning capital to shareholders. For more information visit: www.agrium.com.
About Loveland Products, Inc.
Loveland Products, Inc. offers a complete line of high-performance input products to the global agricultural and professional non-crop industries. Loveland Products’ diversified portfolio of premium products consists of seed treatment, plant nutrition, fertilizer, adjuvant and crop protection products, which are available through Agrium Retail in North America, South America and Australia, and through distribution partners in over 40 countries globally. Loveland Products strives to bring new, unique products and technologies to the marketplace to provide innovative solutions to problems across the agricultural and professional non-crop industries. For more information visit: www.lovelandproducts.com.
About Starpharma Holdings Limited
Starpharma Holdings Limited, located in Melbourne Australia, is an ASX 300 company and is a world leader in the development of dendrimer products for pharmaceutical, life science and other applications. Starpharma’s underlying technology is built around dendrimers – a type of synthetic nanoscale polymer that is highly regular in size and structure and well suited to pharmaceutical and medical uses. Starpharma has two core development programs: VivaGel® portfolio and DEP® drug delivery with the Company developing a number of products internally and others via commercial partnerships. For more information visit: www.starpharma.com.
Additional Information and Where to Find It
Additional information about Agrium can be found under its corporate profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com or at www.agrium.com, or by contacting the contacts below.
Investor/Media Relations:
Richard Downey, Vice President, Investor & Corporate Relations
(403) 225-7357
Todd Coakwell, Director, Investor Relations
(403) 225-7437
Louis Brown, Analyst, Investor Relations
(403) 225-7761
