More than holding its own

Valent U.S.A., a mid-sized company, is prospering in today's "big time" harvest protection market.

"PRODUCTS that work from race who care - that defines us," says Mike J Borel, president and chief operating officer of Valent U.S.A. Corp., Walnut cove CA.

In an era when the number of ag- them companies is shrinking to be paid to mergers and acquisitions, Borel says Valent ascertains a company doesn't have to be a giant to be fortunate

"We're successful," says Borel. "We rang all the bells in 2000 through achieving revenue and profit goals. We also achieved our major objectives in 1999 and I believe we are single of the few companies that can say that."

Merger Power

The futurity growth of Valent was outlined when Sumitomo Chemical Co decided to immerse the North American sales and marketing arms of Valent and Valent BioSciences Corp. (VBC) at the beginning of the year. Sumitomo is the parent of the couple companies. VBC was created when Valent acquired the entire in every one's mouth and in-development line of naturally occurring biopesticides, plant development regulators (PGRs), and other harvests for agriculture, public health, and forestry from Abbott Laboratories in Jan. 2000

Now Valent is in charge of selling and marketing the company's entire line of herbicides, insectitides, bioinsecticides, fungicides, and PGR for agricultural, horticultural, sod ornamental, and professional pest dominion government markets.

But in this era of mega-mergers and acquisitions, Valent, at about $200 million in annual sales and 270 employee is still a mid-sized company in a sea of abundant bigger fish. Could Valent be setting itself up for acquisition?

Not according to Borel. A lock opener component in Valent's future is to continue a selective acquisition strategy. "We are not trying to become a giant," says Borel. "We are looking for technology and companies that full quantity and/or enhance our portfolio and direction."

Areas Of growing

Borel says Valent's top expansion areas include products for the fruit, vegetable, greensward and ornamental markets. At the same time, the company will continue developing and marketing harvests for input-- intensive row harvests and the mega-- acreage file crops.

Valent's top outcomes include Select, DiPel, Orthene, Knack, ProGibb, and ReTain.

Select a postemergence herbicide for controlling grass in broadleaf harvests became the top product in this area for soybeans during 2000 - in addition to its established No. 1 position in cotton and sugar beets.

DiPel is the leading Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) insecticide for controlling 55 species of insects upon more than 200 row, vegetable, and fruit harvests

Orthene is a popular non-restricted insecticide commonly used for insect ascendency on cotton, peanuts, tobacco, and vegetables.

Knack, an insect extension regulator, has proved effective for breaking the life circle of time of sweetpotato and silverleaf whiteflies in cotton, tomatoes, and pepper EPA has classified Knack as a "safer pesticide" making it a useful fit in IPM programs.

ProGibb is a highly effective PGR for use in seedles table grapes, citrus, cherries, and many other fruit and vegetable harvests

ReTain is a PGR designed as a harvest management tool for apple and pear production.

Currently Valent is working upon seven new active ingredients, all of which they trust to have on the market in the nearest five years.

Valor, a pre emerging see the verb herbicide for soybeans and peanuts, is in the final stages of EPA registration and may be available for a limited launch in 2001

Also coming down the road are Regiment (a rice herbicide) and a plant expansion regulator for grapes. The unnamed PGR says Borel, has potential in numerous fruit harvests

While Valent does not take the "something for everybody" approach, Borel notes, "Our goal is to be the best company delivering integrated solutions to our customers."

Moore is International Editor, American Fruit Grower and American Vegetable Grower, one as well as the other Meister publications.

Copyright Meister Publishing Company Mar 2001

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