Not having enough people in the field to talk to farmers, retailers and distributors weakened customers' confidence in the company, he adds. But BASF senior managers emphasized that's changing. They told the audience the Am Cy acquisition underscores their commitment to agriculture and serving customer needs. When you include the corn herbicides the company purchased from Sandoz in 1996, BASF is No. 2 in U.S. market share in soybeans, cotton, rice and peanuts, and No. 3 in corn. But BASF doesn't plan to stop there.
Product development is a key component for the company's growth.
It has 15 new active ingredients in the pipeline for major crops. The Clearfield herbicide-resistant system will also expand to several crops, including wheat and rice. John Rabby, group vice president, North American region, notes consolidation will continue to reduce the number of retailers and distributors. Those who survive will align themselves with fewer manufacturers rather than try to do business with them all, in part to limit their exposure to the uncertainties of the industry. Farmers, too, will increasingly do business with only one or two companies as they look to those that have a complete portfolio of products and services.