Bayer Advanced

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. (May 19, 2016) – Bayer and SBM Développement (SBM) today announced the signing of an agreement for the sale of the Consumer business of the Bayer Environmental Science unit to SBM.The Consumer business encompasses the Bayer Garden and Bayer Advanced businesses in Europe and North America. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. 

Bayer Garden and Bayer Advanced provide innovative home and garden solutions for hobby gardeners and homeowners. SBM is a leader in the home and garden market in France and develops, formulates and produces crop and non-crop solutions for professionals and consumers. 

“For SBM, the acquisition of the Bayer Garden and Bayer Advanced businesses represents a major milestone in our journey toward global leadership in the consumer home and garden industry,” said Jean-Paul Simmler, chairman of SBM. “We are committed to growing these businesses over the long-term by providing customers in Europe and the U.S. with an innovative range of solutions that leverages the strengths of both SBM and Bayer.” 

“In SBM, we’ve found a strategic acquirer that can provide the Bayer Garden and Bayer Advanced businesses and people with a long-term vision and perspective to reach their full potential,” remarked Dr. Jacqueline Applegate, Head of Environmental Science and Member of the Crop Science Executive Committee. “At the same time, divesting the Consumer business will enable Environmental Science to become even more growth oriented and strengthen our market leadership position with a single-minded focus on the unique needs of our professional customers.” 

With strong experience in developing biological plant protection solutions, soils and fertilizers, SBM has a highly complementary product portfolio to the Bayer businesses. Through the acquisition of the Bayer Garden and Bayer Advanced businesses, SBM will significantly expand its footprint in Europe and enter the strategic North American market. 

The transaction is expected to close in October 2016, at which time all employees holding one of the almost 250 positions dedicated to the Bayer Garden and Bayer Advanced businesses in Europe and North America will transfer to SBM, provided all necessary regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions are fulfilled. Until the closing, Bayer Garden and Bayer Advanced will continue to operate as part of Bayer, with no impact on their ongoing business operations or product portfolios as a result of the pending sale. 

At the closing, the entire product portfolios of Bayer Garden and Bayer Advanced, as well as all their current R&D projects, will transfer to SBM. Bayer stands behind the safety and efficacy of all Bayer Garden and Bayer Advanced products in the market today. Bayer and SBM will work together to prepare the business and employees for a seamless transition upon the closing. 

Bayer Garden and Bayer Advanced are part of Environmental Science, a business unit of the Crop Science division that offers a range of high-quality weed and pest control products for professionals and consumers. The turnover of the Environmental Science unit in 2015 was EUR 819 million, to which the Bayer Garden and Bayer Advanced businesses contributed EUR 239 million. 

Bayer: Science For A Better Life 
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the Life Science fields of health care and agriculture. Its products and services are designed to benefit people and improve their quality of life. At the same time, the Group aims to create value through innovation, growth and high earning power. Bayer is committed to the principles of sustainable development and to its social and ethical responsibilities as a corporate citizen. In fiscal 2015, the Group employed around 117,000 people and had sales of EUR 46.3 billion. Capital expenditures amounted to EUR 2.6 billion, R&D expenses to EUR 4.3 billion. These figures include those for the high-tech polymers business, which was floated on the stock market as an independent company named Covestro on October 6, 2015. For more information, go to www.bayer.com. 

SBM Développement 
SBM Développement is an independent and family-owned France-based group of companies that develops, formulates and distributes ranges of crop solutions for professionals and consumers. Their activity relies on three pillars: R&D, Industry, comprised of two formulation and packaging factories in France, and Distribution, with Novajardin, a unit dedicated to Consumers and offering the brands Solabiol, Capiscol, Caussade and ANTI, and CMPA, a unit dedicated to crop professionals. A leader in the French home and garden market, SBM has expertise in biologics, fertilizers and soils. With about 300 employees in Europe, the company has grown organically and through a series of successful acquisitions. Find more information at www.sbm-formulation.com. 

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Media Contacts: 

Bayer Media Hotline, 1-862-404-5118, or 

Casey Allen 
Crop Science, a division of Bayer 
Tel: (919) 549-2607 
Email: casey.allen@bayer.com 

Forward-Looking Statements This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer’s public reports which are available on the Bayer website at www.bayer.c