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September 16, 2008 Bayer 

Bayer HealthCare acquires German DIREVO Biotech AG
  A recognized leader in protein engineering /
  Expanding technological know-how in biologicals /
  Strengthening Bayer HealthCare's commitment to develop innovative biologicals

Bayer HealthCare AG acquires the German biotech company DIREVO Biotech AG, Cologne. With the acquisition of the biotech company specialized in protein engineering, Bayer strengthens the research competence in biologicals of its pharmaceutical division Bayer Schering Pharma. The industrial biotechnology business of DIREVO Biotech is not subject to the transaction. Closing of the deal of a value of 210 million Euro is projected for end of September 2008.

DIREVO Biotech's unique and proprietary protein engineering platform uses high throughput technologies for the rapid discovery and optimization of biopharmaceuticals. The platform has already been successfully applied to a wide range of proteins, including therapeutic antibodies and proteases that will be added to the preclinical pipeline of Bayer Schering Pharma.

 


September 16 2008 DIREVO

DIREVO Announces Sale of its Subsidiary DIREVO Industrial Biotechnology GmbH and Series A Financing

DIREVO Biotech AG announced today the sale of its fully owned subsidiary DIREVO Industrial Biotechnology GmbH that was incorporated recently for an undisclosed cash amount to a group of investors. In addition, the new company completed a EUR 8 million financing in the form of Series A Preferred Stock. The participating institutions included Bankhaus Wölbern (Hamburg) and NRW Bank (Düsseldorf) as lead investors, TVM-Capital (Munich), Danisco A/S (Copenhagen), a Sparkasse KölnBonn (Cologne) affiliated private equity firm, Signet Healthcare (New York), Mulligan BioCapital (Hamburg), several private investors, including Nobel laureate Prof. Dr. Manfred Eigen, and management.

The company focuses on
Food & Feed and Biorefinery markets and provides solutions through discovery, development and scale up of enzymes and strains. It develops products both independently and with global leaders such as Danisco/Genencor and Nestlé. For example, a collaboration with Danisco A/S has yielded a significantly improved enzyme which is marketed as part of a Danisco/Genencor product.

DIREVO Industrial Biotechnology GmbH
DIREVO Industrial Biotechnology GmbH was formed as
a spin-out from DIREVO's industrial biotechnology business unit and AC Biotec GmbH.

AC Biotec GmbH

In November 2007, DIREVO acquired AC Biotec GmbH, Jülich, Germany, a provider of bioprocess development and contract manufacturing services to the industrial biotechnology and pharmaceutical markets. Established in 2001, AC Biotec offers development, optimization and application of fermentation and downstream processes, using both microbial and plant cell-based systems. This includes the complete scale-up of biotechnological processes, ranging from multi-well plates and shake flasks up to pilot-scale stirred-tank-reactors.


September 12, 2008 Bayer

Bayer MaterialScience expands global production network for polyurethane dispersions Low-VOC raw materials for high-quality, environmentally friendly formulations

Waterborne coating and adhesive raw materials now also from Shanghai

Bayer MaterialScience has opened a state-of-the-art production plant at the integrated production site in Shanghai to manufacture polyurethane dispersions (PUD). The plant has an annual capacity of 20,000 metric tons. Bayer MaterialScience now therefore has facilities in North America, Europe and Asia for these key raw materials for manufacturing environmentally friendly, waterborne coating systems and adhesives.

The production of polyurethane dispersions in Shanghai reflects in two respects the significant increase in environmental awareness that has also recently become evident in China. The products in question form
an important basis for manufacturing waterborne and thus low-emission paints, coatings and adhesives for a variety of applications. These include metal, wood and plastic coatings, adhesives for the footwear, furniture and automotive industries, textile and leather coatings and glass fiber sizing. The second ecological aspect concerns the new production facility itself. This sets standards through technology that is not only innovative and robust but also environmentally friendly and energy efficient.


October 17, 2008 Bayer 

Bayer significantly strengthens its presence in China
Startup of 350,000 tons/year MDI train /
Groundbreaking for 250,000 tons/year TDI plant /
Isocyanate production also to be expanded in Europe in the medium term

Bayer MaterialScience has successfully started production at its new 350,000 tons/year diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) complex at the Bayer Integrated Site Shanghai (BISS). The new world-scale plant is the largest MDI facility of its kind in the world. Furthermore, the company has now broken ground for a 250,000 tons/year toluene diisocyanate (TDI) plant at BISS which is scheduled to come on stream in 2010. structures," explained Patrick Thomas.

Other production facilities for the Asian market

Just last month, the company started up its
20,000 tons/year polyurethane dispersions plant, which is the first unit producing waterborne polyurethane coating raw materials in China. Waterborne coating systems use little or no solvent, thereby reducing emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during application.

http://www.knak.jp/blog/2007-02-1.htm#bayer-tdi

The company has also completed the construction of its second polycarbonate line, doubling its capacity for the high-tech engineering plastic Makrolon(R) to 200,000 tons/year. The inauguration of this second production line will depend on how the market develops.


New TDI production plant planned for integrated site in Dormagen

Bayer MaterialScience also plans to extend its isocyanate production significantly in the Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA) region in order to meet rising demand there. A new world-scale plant for
TDI with an annual capacity of 300,000 tons is slated for construction at the Dormagen/Uerdingen integrated site in Germany. It will replace the existing TDI plants at the Dormagen and Brunsbuttel sites. MDI production at Brunsbuttel will be expanded to a total capacity of 400,000 tons/year by making use of the existing capacity of 160,000 tons/year and the existing infrastructure, and by converting the present TDI plant to an MDI facility. Given the right business conditions, i.e. political acceptance and the availability of a suitable infrastructure for raw materials and energy, the two projects are scheduled to be completed by 2013 at a total investment cost of about EUR 300 million.


Oct 28, 2008 Reuters

US warns Bayer over aspirins containing supplements

Two over-the-counter Bayer AG aspirin products that contain dietary supplements have not been proven to work and are being sold illegally, U.S. health regulators warned on Tuesday.

Claims made about the products,
Bayer Aspirin with Heart Advantage and Bayer Women's Low Dose Aspirin + Calcium, also mislead consumers, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said.


2008/11/17 Bayer    

Bayer builds new chlorine recycling plant for TDI production in Shanghai
  Cost leadership through implementation of best available technologies / License agreement with Sumitomo Chemical

Bayer MaterialScience plans to build another chlorine recycling plant at the Bayer Integrated Site Shanghai (BISS). The process for this new unit is based on the catalytic oxidation of hydrogen chloride using oxygen. The new technology has been developed by the Japanese company Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd., and was licensed to Bayer MaterialScience. The plant will ensure the chlorine supply of the new 250,000 tons/year toluene diisocyanate (TDI) facility in Shanghai. Bayer MaterialScience has now broken ground for this new plant, which is based on the company's innovative gas phase phosgenation process and is scheduled to come on stream in 2010.


The process will take hydrogen chloride co-produced during the manufacture of isocyanates, and will convert it very efficiently to chlorine which is re-used as raw material. During the past years, Sumitomo Chemical has enhanced the process and proven its technical viability in combination with already operating manufacturing plants.

At BISS, Bayer MaterialScience has just started a new
hydrochloric acid electrolysis plant to supply the 350,000 tons/year diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) train with chlorine. It uses the energy saving Oxygen Depolarized Cathode technology, which has been developed by Bayer and partners.

"By combining these two innovative technologies, we will strengthen our cost leadership in the isocyanate production. We will also be able to significantly reduce energy consumption and by that contribute to climate protection,"
adds Peter Vanacker.


Bayer AG (Leverkusen, Germany; www.bayer.com), through a partnership with UhdeNora, a joint venture between Uhde (Dortmund, Germany; www.uhde.com) and de Nora SpA (Milan, Italy), and de Nora North America, has launched a worldwide marketing campaign for an electrochemical process that converts hydrochloric acid, a byproduct of vinyl chloride monomer or isocyanate production, to chlorine and water using 30% less electricity than the conventional diaphragm electroreduction process. Dubbed oxygen depolarized cathode (ODC 酸素還元カソード) electrolysis, the process yields Cl^sub 2^ that is 99.9% pure and can be recycled directly without the need for cleaning steps in between, says Fritz Gestermann, manager of process development for electrolysis at Bayer Material Science.


January 23, 2009 Xinhua via COMTEX

Chlor-Alkali Chemical to withdraw from JV with Bayer China

Shanghai Chlor-Alkali Chemical Co., Ltd Friday announced that it planned to withdraw its 10 percent interest in the Bayer (Shanghai) Polymer Co., Ltd.

Bayer (Shanghai) Polymer Co., Ltd was co-founded by Bayer China Co., Ltd and Shanghai Chlor-Alkali Chemical on Sept. 24, 2001 with 564.3 million US dollars of total investment and 188.1 million US dollars of registered capital.

Of the total investment, 169.29 million US dollars were invested by Bayer China and 18.81 million US dollars by Chlor-Alkali Chemical, taking 90 percent and 10 percent, respectively.

Bayer Polymer has been engaged in the production and sale of polycarbonate, bisphenol-a and other polymer mixing materials.

The announcement showed that by Sept. 30, 2008, the total assets of Bayer Polymer amounted to 4,593.0163 million yuan, and its gross liabilities, 3,846.1686 million yuan, leaving owner's equity of 746.8477 million yuan.

Chlor-Alkali Chemical will quote the 10-percent stake in Bayer Polymer on the Shanghai United Assets Equity Exchange at a price higher than investment cost.

The share transfer is expected to improve cash flow of Chlor-Alkali Chemical, and further help it cut financial cost.


Apr 15, 2009 SinoCast Daily Business Beat

Chlor-Alkali Chemical Sells 10% of Bayer Polymers (Shanghai)

Shanghai Chlor-Alkali Chemical Co., Ltd. has sold a 10% stake in Bayer Polymers (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. for CNY 230 million to Bayer MaterialScience AG.


2009/1/26 Bayer

Bayer builds world's largest production plant for carbon nanotubes in Chempark Leverkusen

Bayer MaterialScience has begun work on the construction of a new facility for the production of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in Chempark Leverkusen. The new plant will have a capacity of 200 tons/year, making it the largest of its kind in the world. The company is to invest around EUR 22 million in the planning, development and construction of the plant, which will create 20 new jobs. "We are investing in a key technology of the future that will open up a broad range of new applications for us. We intend to utilize this opportunity to the full. At the same time, the construction of the new CNT facility is a declaration of faith in Leverkusen and the State of North Rhine-Westphalia as an industrial location," said Dr. Wolfgang Plischke, the member of the Bayer AG Board of Management responsible for innovation, technology and the environment, at a press conference to mark the start of construction. Current forecasts predict that the global market for carbon nanotubes will grow by 25 percent a year. In ten years, annual sales of these products are expected to reach US-Dollar 2 billion.

 


February 12, 2009 Bayer

Bayer Schering Pharma to invest 100 million Euro in China to build a global R&D center

Bayer Schering Pharma AG, the pharmaceutical division of Bayer HealthCare (BHC), announced today that it will be strengthening its global Research and Development (R&D) capabilities through the foundation of a global R&D center in Beijing, China. The company will invest some 100 million Euro over the next five years to establish the center. With the establishment of the R&D center in China, especially Asian patients will benefit from considering their clinical profile and medical needs early-on.

 


March 1, 2010             2007/2/14 バイエル、上海のTDI計画の能力拡大

Bayer MaterialScience planning new world-scale TDI plant at Dormagen site
 EUR 150 million investment in the future /
 New production process was developed in Dormagen /
 Energy savings of up to 60 percent versus conventional plants

Bayer MaterialScience plans to invest roughly EUR 150 million in a new high-tech production plant for TDI (toluene diisocyanate) at Chempark Dormagen. TDI is a precursor for the production of polyurethane flexible foam. The new plant will have a capacity of
300,000 tons per year and will replace the existing plants in Dormagen and Brunsbuttel. The background behind the project is the company's European-wide optimization of isocyanate production. "This investment is a clear commitment to North Rhine-Westphalia as an industrial location. It is intended to strengthen Dormagen as a global TDI technology center and to provide long-term security for the competitiveness of Chempark Dormagen and the jobs at the plant and in the region," declares Dr. Tony Van Osselaer, member of the Bayer MaterialScience Board of Management.

MDI production at Brunsbuttel will be expanded to a total capacity of 400,000 tons/year by making use of the existing capacity of 160,000 tons/year and the existing infrastructure, and by converting the present TDI plant to an MDI facility.

The innovative and patented TDI process technology to be used in the planned facility sets new standards worldwide for efficient and climate-friendly TDI production. "The expertise that flowed into our TDI process innovation originated in Dormagen, which is a source of great pride to us here," says Dieter Kuhne, Head of TDI Production in Dormagen. "Our process enables us to achieve energy savings of up to 60 percent compared with a conventional plant of the same size. Furthermore, the technology requires up to 80 percent less solvent. These factors contribute to a significantly better energy and environmental balance," adds Kuhne.

Start of the approval process
Bayer MaterialScience first presented plans to erect a new TDI production plant in Dormagen in December 2008. The second phase of the project is scheduled to begin in April 2010 with the "scoping"
hearing, to which the Cologne regional government is invited as the regulatory authority. Subject to political acceptance and approval being granted by the authorities, the world-scale plant will be built on the site of the coal-fired power plant, which will be torn down. The new TDI production plant is currently scheduled to go on stream in 2014. Dormagen will then be the sole Bayer MaterialScience site in Europe for the production of TDI. Plans call for the production of raw materials for polyurethane rigid foams to be expanded in Brunsbtel.

Chempark Dormagen offers ideal conditions
Chempark Dormagen was chosen as the site for the TDI plant in a Europe-wide selection process, with the availability of raw materials and precursors as well as the existing infrastructure being key factors in the decision. The significantly greater production capacity of the planned plant means that it will also require correspondingly greater quantities of raw materials. Whereas chlorine is already available in sufficient quantities in Dormagen, a new reformer must be built to cover the increased demand for carbon monoxide. The starting materials required for this are also available in Dormagen. Furthermore, the hydrogen produced as a byproduct of carbon monoxide production can also be further processed directly on the site.

"We are very pleased that Bayer MaterialScience has chosen Dormagen for this important investment. A plant of this size will also bring with it a series of follow-up investments, thus securing our competitiveness for the long-term,"
says Dr. Walter Leidinger, Head of Chempark Dormagen. The site offers the infrastructure required for these investments.

From process innovation to large-scale production
TDI has been produced in Dormagen since 1964. "We have decades of experience with the production of TDI,"
notes Kuhne. The new world-scale plant will use an innovative process technology that has proved itself over the last six years in a Dormagen pilot plant. The new TDI process - a quantum leap in terms of energy efficiency, environmental compatibility and productivity ? meets the most stringent safety standards. A large-scale plant based on this process currently under construction in Caojing, near Shanghai, China, is scheduled to go on stream in mid-2011.

TDI - a raw material with a future
TDI is an important precursor for the production of polyurethane flexible foams. It is used to produce durable and high-quality comfort products that have become integral parts of modern daily life. Examples include sleep-friendly cold foam mattresses, high-end chairs and seating, and back-friendly cushions for office chairs and automobile seats, but also precision-fit protective packaging, protective cushioning for microphones and headphones and numerous other applications in the sports and leisure segment. Bayer MaterialScience expects the demand for TDI to continue to increase. With the efficient and sustainable TDI process, Bayer MaterialScience hopes to further expand its leading competitive position in this global market, which is expected to experience long-term growth.

About Bayer MaterialScience:
With 2008 sales of EUR 9.7 billion, Bayer MaterialScience is among the world's largest polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, electrical and electronics, construction and sports and leisure industries. Bayer MaterialScience has 30 production sites around the globe and employed approximately 15,100 people at the end of 2008. Bayer MaterialScience is a Bayer Group company.


November 3, 2010

Bayer acquires Animal Health Company Bomac in New Zealand

Complementary portfolios with strong growth opportunities in combining both businesses /
Creation of southern hemisphere hub to drive product innovation

Today, Bayer AG announced the acquisition of Auckland based
Bomac Group; the parties signed a purchase agreement. With this acquisition Bayer will strengthen its worldwide Animal Health business with a special emphasis on emerging markets in the southern hemisphere. Bomac has a broad range of 290 products, especially in the area of food animals. The main focus is on the treatment of mastitis 乳腺炎 with dairy cattle and parasiticides 寄生虫駆除剤 in sheep. Bayer aims to benefit also from Bomac's Research & Development expertise, especially with respect to mastitis management and parasite control. Due to confidentiality obligations, no financial information is disclosed at this point in time.

Both companies regard the acquisition as a promising new phase in their business development. The transaction represents a fit in all important aspects of the businesses including product portfolio and innovation pipeline.
It is planned to close the transaction upon receipt of the necessary regulatory approvals, and begin combining the two businesses thereafter. Due to the complementary nature of both businesses, no major synergies are expected.

The transaction is seen as a win-win situation for both companies. "The acquisition of Bomac gives us the opportunity to capture local innovation and lever it across the fastest growing markets in the world", says Dr. Alexander Jahn, Head of Region International within Bayer Animal Health.

Connel McLaren, Managing Director of Bomac, also remarks on the positive aspects of the acquisition: "We chose Bayer as the perfect partner to help us take our innovation beyond Asia/Pacific. Bayer shares our belief that New Zealand is an ideal place to undertake new product development. Bayer's commitment to expanding our research and development activity is a great outcome for New Zealand."


Both companies also have successful businesses in Australia and plan to further expand their combined product offering across the Tasman.

About Bomac
Founded in 1958 Bomac is New Zealand's largest privately owned dedicated animal health company.
Operating from modern GMP facilities in Auckland the company manufactures over 290 production animal, equine and companion animal products for sale in New Zealand and to over 60 countries worldwide.
A significant commitment to R&D has seen Bomac average over 20 new product approvals per year in NZ since 2007. These include innovative mastitis and reproduction products, injectable solutions and suspensions, intra-ruminal devices, and sheep, cattle and equine parasiticides.
This enviable track record of new products and delivery systems has underpinned the company's continued growth as Bomac and its 200 staff in New Zealand and Australia strive to be "First for Animal Health". www.bomac.co.nz.


November 18, 2010 Bayer

Bayer focuses resources on growth and innovation

Major investment necessary in development pipeline, marketing and emerging markets /
Annual savings of EUR 800 million planned from 2013 /
Planned net reduction of about 2,000 jobs worldwide by the end of 2012

Bayer plans to invest its resources even more systematically in growing the company and enhancing its innovative capability. The focus will be on researching, developing and marketing new products, particularly in HealthCare and CropScience, and on expanding activities in the emerging markets. This will require a high level of investment in the coming years. However, sales and earnings are under pressure from generic products, rising development costs and the effects of health care reforms. "To finance the expansion of our growth activities, we therefore need to redirect resources, improve efficiencies and cut costs," explained Bayer AG Management Board Chairman Dr. Marijn Dekkers.

To raise investment in further growth,
annual cost savings of EUR 800 million are planned starting in 2013. About half of this amount is to be reinvested. By the end of 2012 the company is likely to take one-time charges in the region of EUR 1 billion, with part of this amount already being incurred in the fourth quarter of 2010.

In connection with this program, it is planned to reduce the global headcount of 108,700 by an aggregate of
about 2,000 by 2012. Approximately 4,500 positions - including roughly 1,700 in Germany - are to be cut, while some 2,500 new jobs will be created over the same period, particularly in the emerging markets.

"Bayer has great business potential in all three subgroups. To better exploit this potential, we must continue to bundle existing resources and streamline our structures. That is the only way we can sustainably finance our investment in growth and innovation ? for example in new pharmaceutical products, in our BioScience business and in the expansion of our capacities in Asia,"
said Dekkers. "The cutbacks involved will not be easy, but they are necessary. I am convinced that with more innovation and less administration, Bayer can become a better and faster company."

 

技術革新の強化と同時に管理業務を簡素化

バイエル、成長と技術革新にリソースを集約

ドイツ レバクーゼン、2010年11月18日― ドイツ・バイエル社(本社:ドイツ レバクーゼン、社長:マライン・デッカーズ)は、成長と技術革新の向上のためにさらに体系的にリソースを投下する予定である。特にヘルスケア、農薬関連の 領域における新製品の研究、開発、マーケティングであり、新興市場のおける事業拡大が中心となる。これらは今後、多大な投資が必要となると予測されてい る。しかしながら、売上と利益は後発品の浸透、開発コストの上昇、医療制度の改革の影響を大きく受けている。ドイツ・バイエル社のマライン・デッカーズ社 長は「当社の成長領域の拡大のための資金を確保するには、リソース配分の見直し、効率性の改善、コスト削減の必要があります」と語っている。

さらなる成長への投資を増やすために、2013年より年間8億ユーロのコスト削減が計画されている。そのうちの半分は再投資されることになって いる。2012年末までに約10億ユーロの一時的な費用負担の可能性があり、その一部は2010年の第4四半期に発生する予定である。

本プログラムに関連して、バイエルグループ全体の108,700名の従業員のうち約2,000名が2012年末までに削減されることが計画され ている。約4,500のポジション(内1,700のポジションはドイツ国内)が削減対象となるが、その一方で同期間内に新興市場を中心に約2,500の新 しいポジションが設けられる。

デッカーズ氏は「バイエルは3つの事業グループにおいて事業拡大の潜在性を有しています。この潜在性をさらに具体化していくために既存のリソー スを集約し、組織改変の必要があります。これが、成長と技術革新、例えば医療用医薬品の新製品、バイオサイエンス事業、そしてアジア地域における生産能力 の拡大などを対象とする持続可能な投資を実現するための唯一の方策です。関連する組織縮小は容易なことではありませんが、必要なものです。技術革新の強化 と管理の簡素化によりバイエルはより良い、そしてスピーディーに対応できる企業になることができると確信しています」と語っている。


December 9, 2010

Bayer plans to significantly expand capacities in China  

Group sales in Greater China planned to increase to around EUR 5 billion by 2015 /
New MaterialScience production plants to be constructed and existing ones expanded /
Expansion of research and development activities /
Headquarters of the Polycarbonates Business Unit to move to Shanghai

Bayer intends to significantly expand its capacities for the production of high-grade materials in China by 2016. Investments of around EUR 1 billion are planned at the Shanghai site. This means Bayer will focus even more intensively on the Asia/Pacific region, where it expects consistent growth in its customer industries. Capacities for the polyurethane raw material MDI are to be more than doubled to one million metric tons a year and for high-performance polycarbonate to 500,000 t/y. The company also intends to significantly strengthen its research and development activities there. Moreover, the headquarters of the Polycarbonates Business Unit will be relocated from the main Leverkusen site to Shanghai. The intention is to ensure even greater proximity to the booming polycarbonates market in Asia.

"The expansion of our capacities in China is an important step in strengthening our presence in the emerging economies," explained Bayer AG's Management Board Chairman, Dr. Marijn Dekkers. "We want to increase Group sales in Greater China to around EUR 5 billion by 2015. MaterialScience is expected to contribute at least half of this amount." In fiscal 2009, the Bayer Group in Greater China recorded sales of EUR 2.1 billion, of which EUR 1.2 billion was accounted for by MaterialScience.

"The strong economic growth in China and in the whole region offers us outstanding opportunities, and we want to make the most of them," added Patrick Thomas, CEO of Bayer MaterialScience. "For us, it is strategically important to have the necessary capacities in the Asia/Pacific region to meet constantly rising demand."

Thomas emphasized that this was one of the biggest single investments to date for Bayer MaterialScience. In terms of sales, China is the second most important country in the world for the Bayer subgroup. It is already investing EUR 2.1 billion in Shanghai as part of a long-term project lasting until 2012. Together with the now announced expansions, this means a total investment of more than EUR 3 billion. For these new projects, a memorandum of understanding has now been signed with the relevant authorities.

Five production projects

Five separate projects are planned - in cooperation with Bayer Technology Services - to increase production capacity at the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park. For
polycarbonate, a new facility is scheduled to be built with a capacity of 200,000 metric tons a year. In addition, it is planned to increase the capacity of the existing plant by 100,000 to 300,000 t/y. The Asia/Pacific region currently accounts for around 60 percent of the world's total polycarbonate market, with the greatest demand coming from China. The plastic is used predominantly in the automotive, electrical and electronics, and construction industries.

In addition, Bayer wants to increase its capacities in Shanghai for raw materials for the production of polyurethane rigid foam, which is used, for example, to save energy throughout the cool chain as an insulant. To this end, it plans to build a new
MDI plant with an annual production capacity of 500,000 tonnes. At the same time, the company also intends to expand the capacity of its present MDI production facility from 350,000 to 500,000 t/y.

A further part of this investment package is the expansion of
HDI production. HDI is an important starting product for high-quality surface coatings. There are plans to expand the capacity of the existing HDI production to meet short term market demand. The construction of a further 50,000-tonnes/year HDI production facility is also planned.

Only recently, Bayer MaterialScience announced the construction of five
customer support facilities in Shanghai and three other Chinese cities. They will focus on customized production and further processing. The company has earmarked a further EUR 110 million for this project.

With the expansion of its
research and development center for polymers in Shanghai, Bayer MaterialScience intends to strengthen its capability as a provider of innovative solutions. It plans to concentrate on areas in which China plays a leading global role, such as wind turbines and solar energy plants. The other research and development facilities in Europe and the United States will continue to be dedicated to further promising areas of research and to be part of the company's global R&D network.

New headquarters for polycarbonate activities

Furthermore, Shanghai will become the new headquarters of the global polycarbonate activities of Bayer MaterialScience. The management team headed by Dr. G
ünter Hilken will move there from Leverkusen. The relocation is scheduled to begin next year. By moving closer to its customers, Bayer MaterialScience is taking account of the importance of the region for the global polycarbonates market. The company expects this step to speed up decision-making processes and to achieve more efficiency generally in day-to-day work processes.

About Bayer MaterialScience:
With 2009 sales of EUR 7.5 billion, Bayer MaterialScience is among the world's largest polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, electrical and electronics, construction and the sports and leisure industries. At the end of 2009, Bayer MaterialScience had 30 production sites and employed approximately 14,300 people around the globe. Bayer MaterialScience is a Bayer Group company.


March 14, 2011 Bayer 

Plans to expand MDI plant
Bayer MaterialScience to invest Euro 100 million in Germany

  MDI plant Brunsbüttel: rise of production capacity to 420,000 metric tons a year

Bayer MaterialScience plans to invest roughly Euro100 million in the expansion of the high-tech production plant for MDI (diphenylmethane diisocyanate) at the Bayer Brunsbüttel Industrial Park in Germany. The project is part of the phased optimization concept announced previously for isocyanate production in Europe. The first of the coordinated phases is the construction of a new high-tech production plant for TDI (toluene diisocyanate) in Dormagen with an annual capacity of 300,000 metric tons per annum (tpa). The facility is scheduled to come on stream in 2014. Somewhat later, the annual capacity of the existing MDI plant in Brunsbüttel will be expanded from 200,000 metric tons to a total of 420,000 tpa. The TDI plant at the site will be converted to MDI as part of this measure.

This investment is a clear commitment to the Brunsbüttel site. The planned world-scale MDI production facility is intended to strengthen the site and to provide long-term job security at the plant and in the region,says Dr. Tony Van Osselaer, member of the Bayer MaterialScience Board of Management.

Start of the permitting process
The responsible authorities are expected to initiate the first step, what is known as the scoping process, in May 2011. The plant is scheduled for commissioning in 2015/2016, depending on the length of the permitting process and developments in the market.

"The plastics industry expects global demand for MDI and TDI to continue to rise," says Peter Vanacker, member of the Executive Committee of Bayer MaterialScience and responsibe for the Business Unit Polyurethanes. "With the phased implementation of our optimization concept, we hope to further expand our leading position in this global market, which is expected to experience long-term growth."

MDI is the raw material for polyurethane rigid foam, which is very effective when used for thermal insulation in buildings and in the refrigeration train. The energy savings achieved help to reduce CO
2 emissions. In addition, applications in modern vehicle construction provide for enhanced safety. Many national regulations require the automotive industry to incorporate specific safety features designed to reduce the risk of injury to pedestrians in the event of an accident. MDI offers these properties.

Bayer Brunsb
üttel Industrial Park offers ideal conditions
The Bayer Brunsb
üttel Industrial Park was chosen over other Bayer sites for the world-scale MDI plant, with the availability of raw materials and precursors as well as the existing infrastructure being key factors in the decision. The significantly greater production capacity of the planned plant means that it will also require greater quantities of raw materials. A corresponding expansion of the existing MDA facility as well as a new plant for aniline will ensure their supply.

We are very pleased that Bayer MaterialScience has chosen Brunsbüttel for this important investment. A plant of this size ensures our competitiveness and secures both jobs and training positions for the long-term," says Dr. Volker Weintritt, site and production manager of the Brunsbüttel site.

From process innovation to large-scale production
MDI has been produced in Brunsb
üttel since 1988. We have extensive experience with the production of MDI,says Weintritt. Bayer MaterialScience will deploy the latest technologies for this project. The new aniline plant, for example, will use the same adiabatic process used at a plant taken on stream in China in 2008. This process conserves resources and uses less energy than other processes.


7 August 2011 guardian.co.uk

Bayer threatens to quit Germany over nuclear shutdown
German companies may relocate production to countries with lower energy costs

Germany's decision to phase out nuclear power after the Fukushima catastrophe in Japan could lead to some of the country's major companies relocating elsewhere in search of cheaper energy.
Marijn Dekkers, head of Bayer, the pharmaceuticals group, said: "It is important that we remain competitive compared with other countries. Otherwise, a global company like Bayer will have to consider relocating its production to countries with lower energy costs."

Under a package of energy bills passed last month by the German government, all nuclear power facilities in the country will be taken offline by 2022. Analysts say that the move will hit energy companies hard and contribute to an increase in electricity prices.

Dekkers told the business magazine WirtschaftsWoche that Germany's electricity costs were already the highest in the EU, making the country "unattractive" for the chemicals industry.

Bayer, which developed the first aspirin in 1897, employs more than 35,000 people in Germany. Dekkers said that his company was planning 4,500 job cuts worldwide – including 1,700 in Germany – but that it was already investing in emerging markets.
"Overall, we will create over 2,500 new jobs in countries like Brazil, India, Russia or China," he told WirtschaftsWoche.

The report also quoted Robert Hoffmann, head of the communications company 1&1, saying that taxes to subsidise renewable energy sources were too high in Germany. Hoffmann said that his company drew energy from Norwegian hydropower plants, but that it still had to pay a contribution to German renewable energy costs.
"Essentially, we're subsidising the construction of solar-powered roofs... So we end up paying double," he said. Hoffmann said that his company was looking at locations where "green electricity exists without the extra costs".
In a report released last week, the Swedish energy company Vattenfall attributed a fall of 10.2bn Swedish krona (£1bn) in operating profit for the second quarter of 2011 to "a one-off effect of the German parliament's decision to phase out the country's nuclear power".
The move has also prompted concerns about disrupted power supplies. German transmission systems operators have warned there could be a risk of power outages this winter, and have questioned the reliability of renewable energy sources, saying there is still a need for base power sources to ensure the stability of the grid.


November 16, 2011 Bayer 

Bayer plans further expansion in Asia

  Sales in the region to grow to well over EUR 11 billion by 2015 /
  Some EUR 6 billion in sales expected in Greater China alone /
  Plans to expand production, distribution network and research /
  Further capital expenditures of EUR 1.8 billion in Asia by 2015 /
  New TDI production facility dedicated in Shanghai

The Bayer Group plans to further expand its production, distribution network and research activities in Asia and considerably increase its sales in the region in the coming years. “We aim to achieve a more than 60 percent increase in our sales in Asia by 2015,” Management Board Chairman Dr. Marijn Dekkers said on Wednesday at Bayer’s international press conference “Perspective on Growth in Asia,” held in Shanghai, China. This would mean annual sales of well over EUR 11 billion by 2015 at today’s exchange rates. Of this figure, Greater China is planned to account for some EUR 6 billion. Dekkers officially inaugurated a new production facility for TDI – a raw material for the production of flexible foams – at the Bayer Integrated Site Shanghai.

At the press conference, attended by more than 100 media representatives – with journalists in India, Vietnam and Indonesia participating via live video link – Dekkers explained the company’s perspectives in the emerging countries of Asia. He said the Bayer Group already does a significant proportion of its business in Asia. Twenty years ago, Asia accounted for only about 10 percent of sales, equivalent to just over EUR 2 billion. Ten years ago, the proportion had grown to about 15 percent, and last year the region already accounted for some 20 percent of sales. In the Asian region, Bayer achieved sales of EUR 6.9 billion in 2010, including EUR 2.9 billion in Greater China, and anticipates further growth in Asia in 2011. “We have made capital expenditures of EUR 3.4 billion in Asia over the past 10 years, creating a basis for outperforming market growth in this region,” said Dekkers.

Bayer has laid a firm foundation for expansion. “Our country organizations here have had local roots for many years, in fact we have been operating for more than a century in China, India and Japan,” said Dekkers. “We are familiar with the markets, and we know how to tune our approaches to the different conditions prevailing in different markets in order to further expand our business.”

Megatrends particularly strong in the emerging Asian markets

Asia is a remarkable continent with particularly strong growth momentum, Dekkers continued. He said the change processes resulting from global megatrends are especially rapid and fundamental in the emerging markets. These megatrends include rising life expectancy, which is greatly increasing the demand for health care. “Products from Bayer HealthCare help to keep people healthy, cure diseases and significantly improve the quality of life – also for elderly people,” said Dekkers.

Another megatrend is the growth in the world population, which is expected to increase by another 2 billion to 9 billion over the next 40 years. At the same time, more and more agricultural land is being used for energy production. “Our researchers at Bayer CropScience are helping to increase yields on the limited amount of agricultural land available, and to reduce harvest losses,” Dekkers pointed out.

According to Dekkers, humankind must also bring the megatrend of climate change to a halt and start reversing it. Asia consumes more energy than North America and Europe combined, he said. “Products from Bayer MaterialScience not only help to save energy through high-performance thermal insulation in buildings or lighter-weight materials in vehicles, they also improve the performance of wind turbines, for example. And we take care to use energy-saving processes in the manufacture of our products.”

Further investment in production, distribution, research and human resources

All the Asian countries are intended to play a part in achieving the sales increase targeted for 2015. Apart from China, this applies particularly to India, where sales are expected to grow from just over EUR 0.5 billion last year to about EUR 1 billion. Sales in Japan are planned to rise from just under EUR 2 billion to around EUR 2.4 billion. To meet its targets, Bayer intends to improve the availability of its products in Asia. “We already operate major production facilities here and intend to go on expanding in the future,” said Dekkers. He said Bayer will continue to expand its distribution network to serve the subcenters and rural areas as well.

In addition, Bayer intends to participate in the region’s transition to an innovation hub of the globalized world. Here the company is focusing on collaborations with the leading institutes and centers of expertise, as well as its own activities. “We will also continue to invest in local research and development and thus contribute our know-how to the R&D landscape here. And in doing so, we are taking account of Asia’s particular needs,” said Dekkers. That applies, for example, to diseases that occur more frequently there than in other parts of the world – such as liver cancer. Bayer also wants to improve access to its new medicines in Asia by integrating Asian patients into the early stages of global development programs, and plans to submit innovative medicines for registration concurrently in Asia, Europe and the United States.

Bayer CropScience works with agricultural crops that are particularly important in Asia, Dekkers explained. The subgroup’s focus is therefore on research and development projects for crops such as oilseed rape/canola, rice, cotton, soybeans, wheat and vegetables. Bayer MaterialScience not only supplies industrial customers with locally manufactured polymer products, it also offers the necessary technical advice and applications development know-how through its systems houses.

To meet its growth targets in Asia, Bayer plans to develop the necessary personnel resources, Dekkers continued. The company’s Asian workforce has increased by nearly 8 percent in the past 12 months alone. “And we expect to see a further rapid increase in employment in the coming years.” The number of employees in Asia could increase from 23,700 in 2010 to more than 30,000 by 2015. Capital expenditures of some EUR 1.8 billion are also planned during this period.

Bayer aiming for rapid growth in all subgroups in China

A major focus of Bayer’s activities is Greater China, now the company’s biggest market in the region. In the first nine months of 2011, Bayer had some 11,000 employees in Greater China and sales of EUR 2.2 billion (RMB 19.8 billion), which was 8 percent of Bayer Group sales. Bayer MaterialScience accounted for 59 percent, Bayer HealthCare for 37 percent and Bayer CropScience for approximately 4 percent of this figure. “We want all of our subgroups in China to continue their rapid growth,” said Dekkers. Bayer plans to increase sales in Greater China to about EUR 6 billion by 2015, with MaterialScience accounting for about EUR 3 billion of this figure, HealthCare for EUR 2.5 billion and CropScience for a good EUR 300 million.

Dekkers described the steady double-digit growth rates in the Chinese pharmaceutical market as remarkable, pointing out that Bayer is one of the five largest health care companies in China. Local sales of Bayer HealthCare in 2010 amounted to EUR 926 million (RMB 8.2 billion), with the prescription medicines of the Pharmaceuticals Division accounting for 80 percent of this figure and non-prescription medicines, medical devices and animal health products for 20 percent.

With a market share of nearly 5 percent and EUR 130 million (RMB 1.2 billion) in sales, Bayer CropScience is the number three supplier in the Chinese crop protection market. “Our aim is to be the supplier of choice in China’s most important crops – especially rice and vegetables,” said Dekkers, adding that the key to this lies in comprehensive solution packages – including innovative products – that give effective support to farmers.

The Chinese market is of considerable importance for the MaterialScience business. For example, China is the world’s biggest market for the construction industry, for automobiles and railway vehicles, for the electrical and electronics industry, and for shoe production. These industries are among the principal customers of Bayer MaterialScience. Last year Bayer MaterialScience had sales of EUR 1.8 billion (RMB 16.3 billion) in Greater China.

New TDI plant dedicated
On Wednesday, in the presence of numerous guests as well as high-ranking politicians and officials, Dekkers inaugurated a new TDI production facility with a planned capacity of 250,000 tons per year at the Bayer Integrated Site Shanghai. The plant is based on a new process technology that reduces solvent use by some 80 percent compared with plants of a similar size that use the conventional process. It also lowers energy consumption by up to 60 percent. The use of this technology also enables substantial savings on operating costs and a reduction of roughly 60,000 tons per year in carbon dioxide emissions. In addition, the new technology cuts the investment costs for large-scale plants of this type by around 20 percent.

Second investment phase at the Shanghai production site

“We have been operating at the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park for ten years,” the Bayer CEO remarked. Bayer MaterialScience has invested EUR 2.1 billion in production facilities for all of its major products on this site. The company intends to follow this first phase of investment with a second phase. Bayer plans to spend a further EUR 1 billion to expand its MDI capacity to 1 million tons per year, increase its polycarbonate capacity to 500,000 tons annually and build a new HDI line that will raise annual capacity by 50,000 tons. “These are considerable capital expenditures involving significant capacity expansions. It goes without saying that we use the very latest technology in our facilities,” Dekkers stressed.


October 30, 2012 Bayer

Bayer to acquire Schiff Nutrition International for US$ 1.2 billion

Bayer HealthCare LLC has signed a merger agreement to acquire Schiff Nutrition International, Inc., a leading company offering vitamins and nutritional supplements in the United States and other countries. Schiff’s product portfolio includes core brands MegaRed®, Move Free® and Airborne®, among others. The transaction values Schiff at approx. US$1.2 billion (approx. EUR 920 million) representing US$34 per share in cash. Closing is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected by year end 2012.

“Bayer is committed to augment its organic growth with strategic bolt-on acquisitions. This transaction represents an excellent strategic fit for our HealthCare business,” said Dr. Marijn Dekkers, CEO of Bayer AG. “The Schiff business significantly enhances our presence and position in the United States, which accounts for more over-the-counter and nutritional products sales than any other country in the world.”

“We will utilize our extensive marketing, sales and distribution expertise to further develop the strong brands we are acquiring,” said Dr. Jörg Reinhardt, CEO of Bayer HealthCare. “We will also look to leverage Schiff’s new technology platforms with innovation potential for other Bayer-owned brands and markets globally.”

Tarang P. Amin, President and CEO of Schiff, said, “Schiff has a 75 year heritage of providing consumers with quality nutritional products. We are focused on building premium brands and leading innovation. We believe Bayer is well positioned to take our leading brands to the next level.”

Schiff generated net sales of US$259 million (approx. EUR 200 million) for its fiscal year ended May 31, 2012. On September 18, 2012, Schiff publicly announced that net sales for fiscal year 2013 were projected to grow between 43 and 46 percent. Expected sales growth includes contributions from new products and brand building as well as Airborne®, which was acquired by Schiff on March 30, 2012.

The company employs approximately 400 people with its headquarters and manufacturing site based in Salt Lake City, Utah, as well as offices in Emeryville, California. The Schiff portfolio includes strong brands in three of the largest health supplement segments including Joint Care (Move Free®), Cardiovascular Health (MegaRed®) and Immune Support (Airborne®), among others. These products complement Bayer’s existing OTC portfolio and will allow it to provide consumers with a broad range of options in these key segments.

About Schiff Nutrition
Schiff Nutrition International, Inc. is a leading nutritional supplement company offering vitamins, nutritional supplements and nutrition bars in the United States and abroad. Schiff’s portfolio of well-known brands includes MegaRed®, Move Free®, Airborne®, Tiger's Milk®, Digestive Advantage® and Schiff® Vitamins. Focused on quality for 75 years, Schiff’s headquarters and award-winning manufacturing and distribution facility are based in Salt Lake City, Utah. To learn more about Schiff, please visit the web site www.schiffnutrition.com.


2012/11/16 Reckitt Benckiser

Reckitt Benckiser commences all-cash tender offer of $42 per share to acquire all outstanding shares of Schiff Nutrition

Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC today announced it has commenced its previously announced tender offer to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Schiff Nutrition International, Inc., a leading provider of branded vitamins, nutrition supplements and nutrition bars in the United States and elsewhere, for $42.00 per share in cash, or approximately $1.4 billion.

Bayer to acquire Schiff Nutrition International for US$ 1.2 billion

About Reckitt Benckiser
Reckitt Benckiser (RB) is a global consumer goods leader in health, hygiene and home, listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE). With a purpose of delivering innovative solutions for healthier lives and happier homes, RB is in the top 25 of companies listed on the LSE. Since 2000 net revenues have more than doubled and the market cap has quadrupled. Today it is the global No 1 or No 2 in the majority of its fast-growing categories, driven by an exceptional rate of innovation. Its health, hygiene and home portfolio is led by 19 global Powerbrands including Nurofen, Strepsils Gaviscon, Mucinex, Durex, Scholl, Lysol, Dettol, Clearasil, Veet, Harpic, Bang, Mortein, Finish, Vanish, Woolite, Calgon, Airwick, and French’s, and they account for 70% of net revenue.

RB people and its culture are at the heart of the company’s success. They have an intense drive for achievement and a desire to outperform wherever they focus, including in CSR where the company has reduced its carbon footprint by 20% in 5 years and is now targeting to deliver a 1/3 reduction in water use, 1/3 further reduction in carbon and have 1/3 of its net revenue coming from more sustainable products by 2020. It is also the Save the Children charity’s largest FMCG global partner.

The company has operations in over 60 countries, with headquarters in the UK, Singapore, Dubai and Amsterdam, and sales in almost 200 countries. The Company employs approximately 32,000 people worldwide.

レキットベンキーザー・ジャパン(RBジャパン)は、イギリスに本社を置くレキットベンキーザーの日本法人として、2000年に設立されました。
レキットベンキーザーは、ニキビケア製品『クレアラシル』やフット・レッグケア製品『ドクター・ショール』など、日本でもお馴染みの製品を中心に、世界60 カ国で事業を展開するグローバル企業です。RBジャパンは、レキットベンキーザーの持つ世界的なネットワークと製品開発力を活かしながら、日本のお客様に、より豊かで快適な生活をご提案します。

wsj

Reckitt Benckiser Offers $1.4 Billion for Schiff

Reckitt Benckiser Group offered to buy Schiff Nutrition International Inc. for $1.4 billion, weeks after the vitamin maker's main shareholders agreed to a lower-priced buyout bid from Bayer AG.

Reckitt Benckiser's all-cash offer values Schiff's shares at $42, a 23% premium to the vitamin and supplement company's Thursday closing price. Schiff's shares jumped 28% after hours to $43.52.

Reckitt Benckiser's offer is also 24% higher than the $34-a-share deal proposed by German pharmaceutical and chemical company Bayer at the end of October. Bayer said it intended to bolster its U.S. consumer-health operations with the acquisition.

Schiff's two main shareholders, who hold a combined 85% of voting rights in the company, accepted Bayer's bid, triggering a squeeze-out of the minority shareholders under U.S. law, Bayer Chief Financial Officer Werner Baumann has said.

Reckitt Benckiser Chief Executive Rakesh Kapoor said in an interview that he is confident that Schiff's board will recognize that the latest offer is superior and that a deal can be closed quickly.

"We believe we have made a very competitive offer," Mr. Kapoor said Friday.

Mr. Kapoor said Thursday that acquiring Schiff would provide a powerful entry into the growing global vitamins, minerals and supplements market, with "immediate scale" in the U.S. He valued the sector, which has been growing in size and competitiveness, at $30 billion.

The U.K.-based maker of Air Wick air freshener and Nurofen pain-relief tablets recently reported strong earnings, boosted by improving performance in Europe and North America, where it generates over half its sales, and growth in emerging markets across Asia-Pacific and Latin America. It wants the majority of its sales to come from developing economies, excluding food and pharmaceuticals, by 2016. It is moving away from household categories to concentrate on driving sales of higher-margin health and hygiene products.

Mr. Kapoor said the company hopes to grow Schiff in the same way that it has expanded other brands it has bought. "We hope that we can do great things with Schiff," he said.

Schiff generates 95% of its revenue in the U.S., selling popular brands such as MegaRed, Airborne and Move Free in the heart, immunity and joint care categories. The Salt Lake City-based group is just outside the top 10 players in the $22 billion U.S. vitamins and dietary supplements market, according to Bernstein data. It expects to generate sales of roughly $385 million for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2013.

Reckitt Benckiser bought U.S. drug maker Adams Respiratory Therapeutics, maker of Mucinex, in 2008. The Mucinex brand has since expanded and added cold and flu liquids, though it faced a setback earlier this year when a federal court ruling paved the way for a competitor, Perrigo Co.,  to launch a generic version of the treatment.

Reckitt has a solid track record for acquisitions in the consumer health and over-the-counter markets, said Deutsche Bank analyst Harold Thompson. "The growth and margin improvement which have been promised with each deal have always come through and more."

Bernstein Securities analyst Andrew Wood said Reckitt's play for Schiff has logic and could even merit a higher bid should a bidding war ensue.

"We believe this acquisition makes excellent strategic sense and good financial sense," and could trigger a counter-bid from Bayer, he said.

Other large consumer players, such as Johnson & Johnson, may also show interest, Mr. Wood said.

Bayer and Johnson & Johnson weren't immediately available to comment.


November 30, 2012 Bayer

150 years of Bayer: Success through innovation and change

The Bayer Group will be celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2013 with numerous events around the world. "Bayer can look back on a long and highly successful history as an inventor company," explains CEO Dr. Marijn Dekkers. "What started as a small but innovative dyestuffs factory in the Barmen district of Wuppertal is now a global enterprise with more than 110,000 employees. In the past 150 years, Bayer inventions have time and again helped improve people's quality of life. This great tradition is also our commitment to the future - entirely in line with our mission of Bayer: Science For A Better Life." To mark the anniversary, Bayer is planning a series of events and projects worldwide throughout the coming year. These will focus on the company’s employees and their families - but neighbors, customers, partners and the scientific community are also to be included in the celebrations.

The general partnership "Friedr. Bayer et comp." was founded on August 1, 1863 in Barmen - now a district of the city of Wuppertal (ライン川の支流、ヴッパー川沿いに位置する工業都市)- by dye salesman Friedrich Bayer (1825-1880) and master dyer Johann Friedrich Weskott (1821-1876). The object of the company was the manufacture and sale of synthetic dyestuffs.
The production of these dyes from coal-tar derivatives had only been invented a few years previously, opening up a new field of business for the still-young chemical industry. Its market was the textile industry, which at the time was growing rapidly in the wake of industrialization. The natural dyes that had been used until then were scarce and expensive. New inventions, such as the synthesis of the red dye alizarin, and the strong demand for tar dyes led to a boom in new foundings. Many dye factories were built at this time, but only innovative companies with their own research facilities and the ability to exploit opportunities on the international market managed to survive over the long term. Bayer was one of these companies.

A joint stock company is established
The financial foundation for expansion was laid in 1881, when Bayer was transformed into a joint stock company called "Farbenfabriken vorm. Friedr. Bayer & Co." The company's impressive growth in its early years is evident from the size of the workforce, which grew from three in 1863 to more than 300 in 1881.

"Bayer products have become indispensable to our lives," says Dekkers. One example is the pain reliever Aspirin™, which came on the market in 1899 and remains one of Bayer's top products to this day. Over the decades, Bayer's researchers have developed pioneering active substances to treat infectious, tropical and cardiovascular diseases, for example. Today, pharmaceuticals research at Bayer HealthCare concentrates mainly on the fields of cardiology and hematology, oncology, women’s healthcare and diagnostic imaging.

A further focal point of Bayer research is agriculture. When Bayer started selling Antinonnin, the world's first synthetic insecticide to control the nun moth
ノンネマイマイ, in 1892, it was the start of a success story. Today, Bayer CropScience is a global leader in its field. This success is based on innovations - not only chemical and biological crop protection products that offer sustainable solutions, but also high-quality seed. Added to this is a broad range of products and services for home and garden and forestry applications.

In the area of high-performance materials, the polyurethanes for foams discovered in the 1930s and the high-performance polycarbonate (Makrolon™) that was patented in 1953 form the basis for an ever-expanding range of applications. Today, high-performance materials from Bayer MaterialScience make an important contribution to conserving fossil resources. Polyurethanes, for example, are used to insulate buildings and thus reduce the amount of energy used in heating or cooling. Lightweight materials help make cars lighter, thereby cutting their fuel consumption. It is thanks to the invention of aliphatic polyurethane coatings that assets can be preserved for longer than ever before. Modern coating systems can withstand both wind and weather and put a shine on cars, ships, rail vehicles and wind turbines.

150 years of ongoing change and renewal

150 years of Bayer - an anniversary like this instantly calls to mind words such as tradition and continuity, according to Dekkers. However, Bayer can actually look back on 150 years of ongoing change and renewal. "A company cannot exist in the long term without changing and adapting," emphasizes Bayer's CEO.

The company was founded as "Friedr. Bayer et comp." on August 1, 1863 by business-man Friedrich Bayer and dyer Johann Friedrich Weskott in the Barmen district of Wuppertal. Bayer initially produced synthetic dyestuffs but the range of products grew significantly over the years. In 1881, the company was made a joint stock corporation - "Farbenfabriken vorm. Friedr. Bayer & Co." - and developed into an international chemical company. In the course of expansion, Bayer relocated its headquarters to Leverkusen in 1912. Following the First World War, in 1925, the company became part of the I.G. Farbenindustrie AG conglomerate. It was re-established as an independent company named "Farbenfabriken Bayer AG" in 1951.

The pace of change picked up significantly following Bayer's 125th anniversary in 1988. The company shifted its focus more towards its core activities, resulting in the sale of subsidiary Agfa in 1999. In 2005, Bayer then spun off significant parts of its traditional chemicals business under the name Lanxess. At the same time, the health care and agriculture businesses - referred to as the life sciences - were systematically expanded, especially with the acquisitions of Aventis CropScience (2001) and Schering AG, Berlin, Germany (2006). "Thanks to our innovative strength and our ability to adapt constantly to market changes, Bayer now holds leadership positions in all its business areas," says Dekkers. The spirit of inventiveness and the will to succeed form the bridge spanning the company's history from its origins 150 years ago to today.

Celebrating with employees, neighbors, partners, customers and the scientific community

"All of that is reason enough to celebrate this anniversary in a befitting way," says Michael Schade, Head of Corporate Communications. Bayer is planning a whole series of events next year. These will focus on its more than 110,000 employees all over the world. Celebration events are also planned for the company’s neighbors, customers and partners and a symposium is to be held for the scientific community in the fall.

In the area of corporate social responsibility, too, Bayer will set a new signal to mark its anniversary. Each year, the company supports some 30 volunteering projects involving its employees and retirees in Germany. In 2013, this support is to be expanded significantly and will also be offered worldwide.

"It goes without saying that we want to use our anniversary to make the Bayer name even better known across the world," continues Schade. One of the projects being prepared is a traveling exhibition that will visualize topics related to health care, agriculture and high-performance materials. This exhibition is scheduled to visit more than 20 sites throughout the world. A further highlight will be an airship displaying the Bayer Cross that will travel to all continents during 2013. Various publications are also being prepared. These will provide detailed and sometimes surprising insights into the inventor company. "We've got a lot planned for the coming year but we don't want to reveal everything just yet," says Schade. The company will publicize details about the planned activities next year.

Bayer: Science For A Better Life

Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the fields of health care, agriculture and high-tech materials. As an inventor company, it sets trends in research-intensive areas. Bayer’s products and services are designed to benefit people and improve the 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 acts as a socially and ethically responsible corporate citizen. In fiscal 2011, the Group employed about 112,000 people and had sales of €36.5 billion. Capital expenditures amounted to €1.7 billion, R&D expenses to €2.9 billion.


January 7, 2013   Bayer                        参考   2012/1/25 BASF、ドイツに年産30万トンのTDIプラントを建設 

Bayer gets the green light to build and operate the new world-scale TDI plant in Dormagen

Following a detailed appraisal, the Cologne district authority has granted Bayer MaterialScience the permit to build and operate the new high-tech facility for the production of the chemical TDI (toluene diisocyanate) at Chempark Dormagen. TDI is needed as a precursor for the manufacture of flexible polyurethane foams to make products such as high-quality foams for mattresses, chairs and car seats.

The Polyurethanes Business Unit is the largest in Bayer MaterialScience and accounts for around 50 % of the company’s sales. With about 4.900 employees around the world and 2011 sales of around 5.435 billion €, the Polyurethanes Business Unit leads the global PU industry.

“We are delighted that the approval process has been successfully completed and we can press ahead with our construction work as planned,” says Dr. Joachim Wolff, who is the member of Bayer MaterialScience’s Executive Committee responsible for the Polyurethanes Business Unit. “This innovative high-tech process marks the start of safe and eco-friendly world-scale polyurethane production that makes the best possible use of energy and resources. Compared with a conventional plant with the same capacity, the new facility will reduce energy consumption by up to 60 percent and require as much as 80 percent less solvent. This will also give us a decisive competitive edge,” he adds.

With an annual capacity of 300,000 metric tons, the future world-scale plant is a key part of a long-term investment strategy at Bayer MaterialScience to turn its Dormagen site into a global technology center for the development and production of polyurethanes. The employees who will be working at the new TDI facility started their training last spring. They include 15 new employees who are working alongside staff at the current pilot plant and receiving intensive instruction.

Construction progress on schedule
The approval authorities gave the go-ahead for the provisional start of construction in February 2012. Since then, work at the giant construction site has been progressing in leaps and bounds. In November, for example, the construction team reached a key milestone when the TDI plant’s 90.5 metric ton distillation column – a cylindrical steel structure – arrived at Chempark by truck. “If progress on site continues at this pace, there is nothing standing in the way of us completing and commissioning the plant midway through 2014,” says Dr. Steffen Kühling, who is in charge of production and technology in the Polyurethanes Business Unit.

Site’s long-term future secure
The construction phase of the project will create between 500 and 1,500 additional jobs. Many contractors come from the region, such as the piping planning firm Keynes from Neuss and equipment manufacturers Quast and Dormagen-based APL. Later on, when the facility is up and running, companies from Dormagen and the surrounding area will be involved in maintenance, construction and repair work, plus the provision of technical services in the area around the new plant. The project also safeguards existing upstream and logistics jobs at the site. The same applies to numerous additional jobs associated with TDI production in the value-added chain in North Rhine-Westphalia and Germany.

Detailed notification of approval
When providing notification of approval, the authorities give a detailed explanation of the reasons that led to their decision. The process involves examining the prerequisites for approval, summarizing and evaluating the environmental impact assessment and, last but not least, evaluating the safety concept. Any objections raised are also taken into account. The authorities granted the permit for the project following a detailed appraisal of all aspects involved and based on the documentation submitted.

Comprehensive information for all interested parties
From the start of the TDI project, Bayer MaterialScience has ensured intensive dialogue with the local community and stakeholders. All local residents, environmental associations, organizations, authorities and political representatives can still benefit from open dialogue with the company about the project.


July 25, 2013 Bayer 

Bayer to use CO2 commercially as a new raw material

Greenhouse gas for production of high-quality plastics / Process offers ecological and economic advantages / Successful two-year test phase

Following a successful test phase, Bayer is aiming to commercialize the use of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide as a new raw material for plastics. The company has started the planning process for the construction of a production facility at its site in Dormagen, Germany, where CO2 will be used to produce a precursor for high-quality foam. The objective is to initially make larger quantities of this precursor available to selected processors from 2015.

The use of carbon dioxide benefits the environment. CO2 replaces a portion of the fossil raw materials, such as petroleum, that would otherwise be used exclusively. At the same time, Bayer expects the new process to provide economic advantages over the conventional production method.

Waste gas turning into profitable raw material

“CO2 is taking on a new light: The waste gas is turning into a useful and profitable raw material. That makes us one of the first companies worldwide to take an entirely different approach to the production of high-quality foams,” says Patrick Thomas, CEO of Bayer MaterialScience.

The materials manufacturer collaborated with partners from industry and academia to develop the process, which has been tested intensively over the last two years. As part of the publicly funded research project “Dream Production”, a pilot plant at Bayer’s main site in Leverkusen produced smaller quantities of the precursor polyol, in which the CO2 is chemically bound.

precursor   物質が生成する前の段階の物質のこと

最も幅広く使用されているポリオールはグリセリンにプロピレンオキサイドを付加重合させたポリオキシプロピレントリオール
(C3H6O)n(C3H6O)n(C3H6O)nC3H8O3

 

The substance is used for the production of polyurethane foam. This high-quality material can be found in many everyday items, including upholstered furniture, automotive parts, refrigeration equipment and insulation material for buildings. In internal tests, the new foams show at least the same high quality as conventional material based entirely on fossil fuels.

Mattresses made with CO2

“After successfully completing the test phase, we are now launching Stage 2 with the target of commercialization,” says Thomas. The first use of the new CO2-based flexible foam will be for the production of mattresses.

The planned production facility in Dormagen will have a capacity of several thousand metric tons. “This will not be enough to accommodate the market demand, of course. It is Bayer’s patent-registered technology and we have not yet decided to be the exclusive producer of this innovative polyol. Licensing might also be a possibility,” adds Thomas.



--------

CO2 as a new source of carbon
From climate offender to useful material
http://www.materialscience.bayer.com/en/Media/Special/Features/CO2-Projects.aspx

More than 30 billion tons of CO2 are released into the atmosphere every year. But this greenhouse gas need no longer be just a climate-damaging waste product. Researchers headed by Bayer have found a way to use carbon dioxide as a building block for premium plastics.

Christoph Gürtler carefully pours out a thick, crystal-clear liquid and tips a yellow chemical into it. Then he adds just a little water to the beaker, a couple drops of accelerant and gives it all a good stir. After a few seconds, a green mass rises to the top. It overflows slightly, then hardens: The experiment is a success!

“This is a common foam,” Gürtler says. “We’ve now made ground-breaking progress with the help of a new ingredient,” says the Bayer researcher, holding up the glass containing the clear substance. “There is an entirely new raw material in here: carbon dioxide.”

Until now, polyurethane foam of this kind – like most things in the chemical industry – has been manufactured differently, namely using fossil resources: petroleum, natural gas, coal, biomass. These four substances are the starting point for some 40 basic chemicals and more than 40,000 chemical products. But they have disadvantages: Supplies are limited, they are getting increasingly expensive and they consume a lot of energy when treated in refineries.
Substitute for petroleum

But CO2 is another story. It is virtually ubiquitous and available in unlimited quantities. Like oil, it incorporates the important element carbon, on which the entire field of chemistry depends. In other words, this climate-killer has what it takes to be useful, and Bayer MaterialScience is working on a number of projects with partners in industry and academia.

The Dream Production research initiative has made the most progress. It is the proof that incorporating CO2 is not only possible in the lab, but also on an industrial scale. The carbon dioxide comes from a power plant near Cologne, Germany, operated by energy company RWE. There it is removed from the flue gas and liquefied for transportation.

In a pilot plant in nearby Leverkusen, Bayer MaterialScience has been using the carbon dioxide since early 2011 to manufacture samples of the polyurethane component polyol. The test foams made from this substance are just as good as those produced the conventional way using only petroleum.

“This new process was made possible by a scientific breakthrough,” explains project manager Christoph Gürtler. “We finally succeeded in finding the right catalyst after the scientific community spent decades searching for it.” A catalyst is required to set the reaction in motion. In other words, the CO₂ has to be given a nudge, because it is chemically inert and does not react readily on its own with other substances.
Sustainable process

The catalyst also limits the energy consumed by the reaction. As a result, the entire process is ecologically sustainable, as demonstrated by a complex study conducted by RWTH Aachen University, another partner on the project. “Our calculations indicate that the new process requires less energy in its life cycle and thus also emits less CO₂,” explains Professor André Bardow of the Institute of Technical Thermodynamics.

If the new process continues to produce good results, Bayer intends to start industrial production in 2015. The first end product to be launched on the market will be mattresses made from CO₂-based flexible foam. Subsequently, other types of polyurethane are also to be manufactured by this method.

“Large segments of the industry are already showing significant interest in the innovative material,” says Frank Grunert, head of Polyurethane Marketing at Bayer MaterialScience. Bayer is now looking for partners along the value-added chain to the consumer as the project moves to market maturity.

And research continues as well, for instance in another project called CO₂RRECT that reaches far into the future. It focuses on combining carbon dioxide and renewable energies, or more specifically excess electricity from wind turbines, for which storage capacities are insufficient. The energy can, however, be stored chemically in the form of hydrogen. An electrolysis process, run on this excess energy, produces the hydrogen.
Wind power and carbon dioxide

But the project partners headed by Bayer MaterialScience envision much more: They want to combine hydrogen with power plant CO₂ to obtain chemical intermediates, which could be used in turn to produce polyurethane or the performance plastic polycarbonate.

“Our ultimate goal is to manufacture a broad range of plastics from CO₂, including not only coatings and fibers,” says Gürtler, “but also plastics made entirely of alternative raw materials. The first products containing no petroleum at all – that’s our vision.”



February 27, 2014 

Bayer to acquire Dihon Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd. in China 

  Transaction strengthens Consumer Care business and moves Bayer HealthCare to a leading OTC position in key growth country
 
Bayer plans to acquire 100 percent of the shares of Dihon Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd.滇虹藥業集團, Kunming Yunnan,雲南省昆明市 China, a privately held pharmaceutical company specializing primarily in over-the-counter (OTC) and herbal traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) products. Dihon is a leading player in China's OTC industry with products such as Kang Wang® for the treatment of dandruff ふけand other scalp disorders and Pi Kang Wang®, an antifungal 抗菌cream, as well as TCM 漢方薬 product Dan E Fu Kang® for the treatment of various women’s health indications. Financial details have not been disclosed. The transaction is subject to fulfillment of certain conditions, including merger control clearance, and is expected to close in the second half of 2014.

“We aim to strengthen our Life Sciences portfolio with strategic bolt-on acquisitions globally. We are very pleased to have identified a consumer health care company in China with such a strong track record of success built by its dedicated employee base,” said Dr. Marijn Dekkers, CEO of Bayer AG. “This acquisition moves us into a leading position amongst multinationals in the OTC industry in China. It also brings a portfolio of well-known consumer brands, which will allow us to provide consumers with an even broader range of self-care options.”

“Adding the strong OTC brands from Dihon to our portfolio will significantly advance our business in China and positions us well for future growth,” said Dr. Olivier Brandicourt, CEO of Bayer HealthCare. “Equally important is the foothold we will gain in TCM, which makes up about half of the OTC segment in China and is a well-accepted and sought after line of natural science-based alternative therapies for consumers looking for trusted solutions for their healthcare needs. We think we can leverage our recent acquisition of Steigerwald in combination with Dihon’s herbal TCM expertise and pipeline to benefit both these areas, which have a different but related heritage.”

“Self-care is a critically important component of healthcare in China and internationally, and OTCs are an important tool to help people live happier, healthier and longer,” said Dr. Zhenyu Guo, Chairman & CEO of Dihon Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd. “As such, we’re pleased to have been able to build a business with brands that bring relief to consumers across China and other parts of the world. We believe that Bayer, with its marketing, sales, distribution and research expertise, is well positioned to take our success to the next level. This acquisition will further strengthen the Yunnan pharmaceutical industry and offers the potential to further expand TCM to other parts of the world.”

Dihon generated sales of 123 million Euro in 2013. The company employs approximately 2,400 people in R&D, manufacturing, sales and marketing. In addition to operations in China, Dihon brands are sold in other countries such as Nigeria, Vietnam, Myanmar and Cambodia. Dihon’s headquarters is in Kunming, China. The company also has several manufacturing sites throughout China.

About Dihon Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd.
Dihon's mission statement is to contribute towards a healthy world. The company was founded as a joint stock company with partial foreign ownership in 1997. Today, it is one of the leading consumer health care companies in Yunnan, China, providing innovative, effective chemical medicines and traditional Chinese medicines in 5 areas of medical need: dermatitis
皮膚炎, acneにきび, recurrent oral ulcer口内炎, hyperosteogeny骨過成長, and endometriosis子宮内膜症.
 

March 5, 2014

Bayer acquires DuPont aniline plant in Texas

Bayer MaterialScience has acquired DuPont's aniline production facility in Baytown, TX.
With the acquisition, Bayer assumes responsibility for the facility's direct operating personnel. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Aniline is a primary feedstock used to manufacture methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), a versatile chemical used to produce rigid polyurethane foams for insulation in the construction industry, as well as coatings, adhesives, sealants, elastomers and binders.
The aniline facility is located within Bayer's Baytown plant, the company's largest manufacturing facility in the U.S. and a critical asset in its global manufacturing portfolio. Adding aniline production fully integrates the Baytown plant along the MDI value chain for enhanced production flexibility.

 "North America is poised for strong MDI growth driven by recovery in the construction market, energy code advancement and home comfort trends," said Craig Caputo, vice president of polyurethanes and regional product manager for Bayer MaterialScience. "This strategic acquisition positions Bayer to meet this growing demand while further strengthening our leadership in the polyurethane industry."

The acquisition also reinforces Bayer's commitment to the Baytown facility, according to company officials. Over the last two years, Bayer has invested roughly $120 million in process, reliability, quality and environmental improvements at the plant, which in addition to MDI produces toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and polycarbonate.

DuPont is a leading producer of aniline intermediates and derivatives. We are one of the world's largest merchant producers of aniline and the only U.S. producer marketing nitrobenzene.

DuPont licenses state-of-the-art hydrogentation technology for Aniline via hydrogenation of nitrobenzene using a proprietary liquid phase process. Aniline produced by the liquid phase process minimizes by-products and offers capital and variable cost savings vs. other technologies.



September 18, 2014   Bayer 

Bayer plans to focus entirely on Life Science businesses

Concentration on HealthCare and CropScience /
MaterialScience to be floated on the stock market by 2016 at the latest /
Planned separation to benefit both Bayer and MaterialScience /
Employment levels are expected to remain stable over the next few years

 

Bayer intends in the future to focus entirely on the Life Science businessesHealthCare and CropScience – and float MaterialScience on the stock market as a separate company. In this way Bayer is positioning itself as a world-leading company in the field of human, animal and plant health. The Supervisory Board unanimously approved the Board of Management's plans today, Thursday. “Our intention is to create two top global corporations: Bayer as a world-class innovation company in the Life Science businesses, and MaterialScience as a leading player in polymers,” Bayer CEO Dr. Marijn Dekkers announced. He said both companies have excellent prospects for success in their respective industries. Employment levels are expected to remain stable over the next few years, both globally and in Germany.

MaterialScience to gain direct access to the capital market

In recent years, Bayer's center of gravity has greatly shifted toward its Life Science activities with the successful launch of novel pharmaceutical products, the pending acquisition of the over-the-counter products business of Merck & Co., Inc., United States, and the very successful development of the CropScience business. The aim is to continue the positive development of these activities in the future through further investment in growth. Following its regular evaluation of the business portfolio, the Board of Management has therefore decided to focus the company on these areas. The Life Sciences currently already account for about 70 percent of Bayer's sales and 88 percent of EBITDA before special items.

It is planned to float the MaterialScience business on the stock market as a separate company within the next 12 to 18 months. A major reason for this move is to give MaterialScience direct access to capital for its future development. This access can no longer be adequately ensured within the Bayer Group due to the substantial investment needs of the Life Science businesses for both organic and external growth. Also, as a separate company, MaterialScience can align its organizational and process structures and corporate culture entirely toward its own industrial environment and business model.

Bayer to retain a balanced portfolio

The companies of the future Bayer Group had pro forma sales of approx. EUR 29 billion in 2013. They will employ nearly 99,000 people, including about 29,500 in Germany. Corporate headquarters will remain in Leverkusen.

“Bayer will continue as an enterprise with an attractive and balanced portfolio and a primary focus on organic growth,” Dekkers explained. To this end, the company intends to raise its research and development spending, selectively strengthen early research at the interface between HealthCare and CropScience, and continue driving the successful commercialization of the recently launched pharmaceutical products. Bayer expects these products – the anticoagulant Xarelto™
経口抗凝固薬, the eye medicine Eylea™ 滲出型加齢黄斑変性治療薬, the cancer drugs Stivarga™  転移性大腸癌の治療薬and Xofigo™ 抗がん剤, and the pulmonary hypertension drug Adempas™  慢性血栓塞栓性肺高血圧症– to have a combined peak annual sales potential of at least EUR 7.5 billion.

Separate MaterialScience business more flexible in the face of global competition

“We firmly believe that MaterialScience will use its separate status to deploy its existing strength even more rapidly, effectively and flexibly in the global competitive arena,” Dekkers commented. A strategy and corporate culture aligned to technological and cost leadership, coupled with the ability to make its own investment and portfolio decisions, would give MaterialScience the best development prospects in a highly competitive market. That, said Dekkers, includes direct capital market access so that it would not have to compete with the Life Science businesses for investment funding in the future.

“MaterialScience is a very well positioned business that today operates very modern, competitive, large-scale facilities. We have steadily invested in these facilities, even in difficult economic times,” Dekkers pointed out, citing the world-scale production facilities in Shanghai, China, and the new TDI plant in Dormagen, Germany, which is to be officially inaugurated in December. Between 2009 and 2013 alone, Bayer invested a total of over EUR 3.8 billion in property, plant and equipment and research and development for the MaterialScience business.

Following the intended flotation, MaterialScience will be Europe's fourth-largest chemical company; it had global sales in 2013 of more than EUR 11 billion (pro forma figure). The new company is planned to have a global workforce of roughly 16,800, including about 6,500 in Germany. It will have a new name and a separate identity and be headquartered in Leverkusen.

 
2013年実績(百万ユーロ)
   Life Science businesses Material
Science
Others 全社 Total
HealthCare Crop-
Science
Total
Pharma-
ceuticals
Consumer
Health
Net Sales 11,188 7,736 8,819 27,743 11,238 1,169 7 40,157
 
EBIT 2,031 1,229 1,729 4,989 435 -11 -479 4,934
EBIT before special items 2,552 1,421 1,801 5,774 429 49 -479 5,773
EBITDA before special items 3,490 1,844 2,248 7,582 1,072 222 -475 8,401


 

Bayerは2003年末までに、Bayer CropScienceBayer HealthcareBayer PolymersBayer Chemicalsの4社と、サービス会社3社の合計 7社を分社化したが、2004年7月にBayer Chemicalsの大半とBayer Polymersの一部を新会社 Lanxess として分離し、2005年に上場した。

RubberやRubber chemicals 事業はLanxess に移された。

2006/9/6 Bayer と Lanxess 

Bayer MaterialScience is a renowned supplier of high-tech polymers and develops innovative product solutions for a wide variety of everyday uses. Products holding leading positions on the world market account for a large proportion of its sales.
The subgroup comprises three business units:
    Polyurethanes; Polycarbonates; Coatings, Adhesives, Specialties
along with the Industrial Operations unit.

A strong backbone – Industrial Operations
Safe plants, reliable raw material supplies, efficiency in managing resources: These activities and many more form the basis for smooth operations at Bayer MaterialScience. They are combined under Industrial Operations, which supports the business units and produces basic chemicals, such as chlorine, sodium hydroxide solution and hydrochloric acid. Industrial Operations generated EUR 680 million in sales in 2013 with some 1800 employees.

Portfolio

Coatings, Adhesives, Specialties (e.g. Desmodur™, Bayhydur™, Dispercoll™)
Polycarbonates (e.g. Makrolon™, Bayblend™; Specialty Films, e.g. Makrofol™/Bayfol™)
Polyurethanes (e.g. Multitec™, Baydur™, Bayflex™, Baypreg™, Vulkollan™)
Thermoplastic Polyurethanes (e.g. Desmopan™/Texin™; Specialty Films e.g. Platilon™)
 

Principal products*
 
Apec™ Apec® is the brand name for an advanced copolycarbonate. With its unique combination of high heat reistance, thoughness, transpareny  it is unlike any other engineering thermoplastic. These properties, along with good dimensional stability, weatherability and flowability, allow Apec® to be utilized as a replacement for glass, metal or standard polycarbonate in high-heat applications
Bayblend™ Bayblend® is the trade name used by Bayer for its product line of amorphose, thermoplastic polymer blends based on polycarbonate (PC) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (PC+ABS blends)  as well as acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (PC + ASA blends). Their property profiles ca be customized by varying the compsition of the blend. The particular strengths of Bayblend® are its balanced combination of heat resistance, toughness ans stiffness and its excellent processing characteristics. The unique combination offers an ideal conolidation of mechanical and thermal properties for appliances, automotive and transportation, electrical, consumer products, medical, electronics, IT and communication applications.
Baycusan™ Brand name for high quality polyurethane dispersions as film formers and powder as sensory additive for cosmetic formulations
Baydur™ Polyurethane integral-skin foam and molding systems for appliance housings, medical equipment, sports goods, sanitary items and furniture
Bayflex™ Family of elastic polyurethane systems with customizable properties for a range of applications
Bayhydur™ Polyurethane dispersions for waterborne coatings in automotive, industrial, furniture or construction and other applications
Desmodur™/Desmophen™ Polyisocyanates and polyols for the production of coatings in automotive, industrial, corrosion protection, flooring and other applications and binders, rigid and flexible foams
Desmopan™ Thermoplastic polyurethanes for a wide variety of high-tech applications
Makrolon™ Makrolon® is the brand name for our polycarbonate. Its special features are its high transparenc, heat resistance, toughness and dimensional stability, a high crees modulus and good electrical insilation properties. Bayer offers a broad portfolio of Makrolon® resins. These include general purpose, lighting, medical and food contact, flame-retardant, impact-modified and glass-fiber reinforced grades. These grades can be used for injection molding, extrusion and blow molding, in a range of markets including automotive and transportation, construction, electronics, medical, lighting and optical data storage.

 

バイエル、完全にライフサイエンス事業に注力することを計画


 ヘルスケア事業と農業関連事業に集中
 素材科学事業は遅くとも2016 年までに上場させる予定
 分離計画はバイエル、素材科学事業の双方に利益
 従業員数は今後数年にわたって同レベルを維持

2014 年9 月18 日– バイエルグループ(本社:ドイツ レバクーゼン、社長:マライン・デッカーズ)は、今後は完全にライフサイエンス事業(ヘルスケアおよび農業関連)に注力し、素材科学事業を別会社として上場させる予定である。これによりバイエルは、人と動物、そして作物の健康における世界有数の企業として自社を位置づけていく。監査役会は18 日のドイツ・バイエル社経営委員会の提案を全会一致で承認した。デッカーズは「私たちの意図はライフサイエンス分野における世界有数のイノベーション企業であるバイエル、そしてポリマー材料の分野における中心的企業であるマテリアルサイエンスという、2つのグローバル企業を創り出すことです」と発表した。さらにデッカーズは、両社はそれぞれの事業分野で成功を収めるための非常に明るい展望を持っていると述べた。社員数はバイエル全体およびドイツ国内において、今後数年にわたって同レベルを維持する予定である。

素材科学事業グループは、資本市場から直接調達が可能に

昨今、バイエルの重点分野の中心は、成功裏に発売した医療用医薬品の新製品や、現在進行中の米国メルク社のコンシューマーケア事業の買収、農業関連事業の好調な推移など、ライフサイエンス事業に移ってきた。この目的は、成長のための一層の投資を通じて、これらの活動の好調な推移を継続することにある。事業ポートフォリオの定期的な評価に沿って、経営委員会は、バイエルが上記のライフサイエンス事業に注力していくことを決定した。現在、ライフサイエンス事業はバイエルの総売上の約70%、特別項目計上前EBITDAの88%を占めるまでになっている。

今後12カ月から18カ月以内に、素材科学事業を別会社として上場させる計画となっている。この大きな理由としては、同事業が将来の発展に必要な資金を直接調達できる手段を提供することにある。バイエルグループ内では、ライフサイエンス分野が本業および外部提携を通じての成長のために多額の投資を必要としており、素材科学事業に対する適切な投資を確保できなくなっている。また、素材科学事業グループは別会社となることで、その組織やプロセスの構造、企業文化を同社が属する事業分野の環境やビジネスモデルに合致させることが可能になる。

バイエルはバランスのとれたポートフォリオを維持

将来バイエルグループに属する企業のプロフォーマ(見積上)売上高は、約290億ユーロ(2013年)である。社員数は約99,000人(ドイツ国内は29,500人)である。本社は引き続きレバクーゼンに置かれる。
デッカーズは「これからもバイエルは、魅力的でバランスのとれたポートフォリオを持ち、本業での成長を第一に置く企業であり続けます」と説明した。これを達成するために、バイエルは研究開発費用を引き上げ、ヘルスケアおよび農業関連事業間の初期研究を選択的に強化し、医療用医薬品の新製品を成功裏に発売することを今後も推進していく。バイエルは経口抗凝固剤「イグザレルト」や眼科用VEGF阻害剤「アイリーア」、抗悪性腫瘍剤「スチバーガ」および「Xofigo」、肺高血圧症治療剤「アデムパス」のピーク時の年間合計売上高が、少なくとも75億ユーロに達する可能性があるとしている。

より柔軟にグローバルレベルの競合に対応するため、素材科学事業を分離

デッカーズは「私たちは、素材科学事業がグローバルレベルで競争が激化する分野でより一層早く、効果的かつ柔軟に既存の強みを展開するために、分離後の状況を活用していくと確信しています」と述べた。技術・コスト面でのリーダーシップに沿った戦略および企業文化に加え、投資とポートフォリオを自社で決定できる能力が、激しい競争下にある市場でも素材科学事業に最高の展望をもたらしていく。デッカーズは、資本市場への直接的な調達も含めて、将来の投資費用において今後はライフサイエンス事業と競合することはないとしている。


「現在、素材科学事業は、近代的で競争力を持つ大規模生産施設を運営し、事業状況も非常に良好です。私たちはたとえ厳しい経済環境下においてもこれらの施設に段階的に投資してきました」とデッカーズは指摘し、その例として上海の世界規模の生産施設や、12月に正式に稼働するドルマーゲン(ドイツ)の新TDI生産施設をあげた。2009年から2013年の間だけで、バイエルは合計38億ユーロを素材科学事業の不動産や工場およびその設備、研究開発活動に当ててきた。

予定されている分離により、素材科学事業は欧州で第4番目に大きく、プロフォーマ(見積上)売上高は全体で110億ユーロ以上(2013年)の企業となる。新会社は世界で約16,800人(ドイツ国内は6,500人)の社員が所属する、新しい企業名を持つ別会社となり、本社はレバクーゼンに置かれる予定である。


日本経済新聞 2015/11/22

祖業の素材事業分離、なぜ決断 医薬集中、好調時こそ変革

独バイエル社長 マライン・デッカーズ氏 Dr. Marijn E. Dekkers

独バイエルが医薬・農薬分野に経営資源を振り向けるため、自動車部材向けの樹脂などを手掛ける祖業の素材事業を切り離した。老舗の大手企業といえども、成長を持続するためには「選択と集中」という自己変革を迫られる。社外から登用された初の社長でもあるマライン・デッカーズ氏に決断の訳を聞いた。



Q: 分離した素材事業会社、コベストロを10月にフランクフルト証券取引所に上場させました。

2015/9/2    Bayer のMaterial Science 部門、Covestro として分離独立  

「同分野では汎用品化が進み、激しい価格競争に陥っていた。バイエルはもともと製品の品質や機能で勝負する会社で、価格競争になると強みを発揮できない。中核事業にはそぐわなくなったと感じた」

「素材事業がバイエルの一部門であり続けても、経営資源は利益率が高い医薬や農薬に優先的に投下される、単独でやっていけるだけの規模(2014年度売上高約1兆5千億円)もあるし、分離して必要な資金を独自に調達する体制にする方がよいと考えた」

Q: 生え抜きでないから決断できたのですか。

1985〜  General Electric 
1995〜  Allied Signal
2000〜  COO of Thermo Electron Corporation  (2002 President and CEO)
2010〜  Bayer AG (2010 CEO)

「経営が行き詰まれば誰もが変革を迫られ、決断しただろう。今のバイエルは医薬と農薬事業を中心に業績は好調だ。ただ収益が拡大局面にあると、経営者は往々にして変化に慎重になってしまう」

「私は逆で、好調なときこそ企業を変革するのに最もふさわしいと考えてきた。社外から就任した経営者には、より自由に発想できる強みもある」

Q: 一方、昨年には米メルクの大衆薬事業を1兆4千億円で買収しました。

2014/5/10 Bayer、米 Merckの大衆薬事業を買収 

「大衆薬は規模とブランドがものをいうビジネスだ。ドラッグストアなどで顧客の目に留まりやすい陳列棚をどれだけ確保できるかで売れ行きが変わる。規模が大きいほど、小売りに対する交渉方も強くなる。この買収でバイエルの大衆薬事業は売上高で世界2位になった。大衆薬は上位5位に入らないと難しい」

Q: 主力の医療用医薬品も規模拡大が必要ですか。

「大衆薬とは異なり、規模拡大のためのM&A(合併・買収)は考えていない。
自社開発の新薬を育て売上高を着実に伸ばす。もっとも世界各国で医療費の抑制圧力が増し、新薬の承認は一段と厳しくなっている。既存の薬とそう変わらない新薬を発売しても相手にされない。画期的な薬を開発できない新薬メーカーは生き残れないだろう」

Q: 日本の製薬会社を買収する考えは。

「日本の製薬会社は総じて規模が小きい。机上では良い組み合わせもあると思うが、文化的な違いなどは大きい。買収のハードルは高いと感じている」

ーーーー

聞き手から一言 事業領域見直し、日本企業も課題

独バイエルはポリウレタンやポリカーボネートで世界有数のシェアを持ち、素材事業は全社売上高の約3割を占めていた。「(分離には)異論もあった。業績への影響や長年の歴史からバイエルに不可欠な事業だと考える社員も多かった」とデッカーズ社長は話す。
業績が低迷していた同社の社長にヘッドハンティングされてから5年。祖業の分離は「社外の目」で進めてきた事業領域組み替えの総仕上げだ。技術やニーズの変化、新興企業の台頭など大手でも安泰とは言えない。経営改革のスピードを問われているのは日本企業も同じだ。


 

May 18, 2016

Monsanto Comments on Recent Media Reports

 
In response to recent media reports, Monsanto Company disclosed that it has received an unsolicited, non-binding proposal from Bayer AG for a potential acquisition of Monsanto, subject to due diligence, regulatory approvals and other conditions. The Board of Directors of Monsanto is reviewing the proposal, in consultation with its financial and legal advisors. Monsanto will have no further comment until its Board of Directors has completed its review. There is no assurance that any transaction will be entered into or consummated, or on what terms.

Morgan Stanley & Co. and Ducera Partners are acting as financial advisors, and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz is acting as legal advisor, to Monsanto.

---May 19, 2016 Reuters

Bayer makes move for Monsanto in global agrichemicals shakeout

German drug and chemicals giant Bayer AG has made an unsolicited takeover offer for Monsanto Co, the world's biggest seed company, as high inventories and low commodity prices spur consolidation in the global agrichemicals industry.

Monsanto disclosed the approach on Wednesday before Bayer confirmed its move, though neither released proposed deal terms.

With Monsanto worth $42 billion by market capitalization, an acquisition would likely be bigger than ChemChina's February deal to buy Swiss agrichemicals firm Syngenta AG for $43 billion - a target Monsanto itself pursued last year - and could face U.S. antitrust hurdles.

Monsanto said in a statement its board is reviewing the proposal, which is subject to due diligence, regulatory approvals and other conditions. There is no assurance that any transaction will take place, it said.

Bayer, which has a market value of $90 billion, said in a brief statement that its executives recently met executives of Monsanto to privately discuss a negotiated acquisition. A further statement will be made as appropriate, it said.

The proposal comes as Chinese state-backed ChemChina's deal for Syngenta faces intensive regulatory review in the United States over concerns about the security of U.S. food supply. The deal is the largest foreign acquisition ever by a Chinese company, as Beijing seeks to secure the country's own food supply.

Any deal between Bayer and Monsanto, meanwhile, could raise U.S. antitrust concerns because of the overlap in the seeds business, particularly in soybeans, cotton and canola, antitrust experts have said.

However, spurning a deal with Bayer over concerns a tie-up might not receive antitrust clearance could also pose challenges for Monsanto - its own bid for Syngenta last year would have meant significant expansion in seeds.

Bayer, the inventor of aspirin and maker of Yasmin birth control pills, is a much more diversified company than Syngenta or Monsanto, with a major life sciences business. Bayer's crop science division has businesses in seeds, crop protection and non-agricultural pest control, potentially complementing Monsanto's seeds assets.

BAYER, BASF AMBITIONS

Both Bayer and its German rival BASF SE have been looking to build scale in agrichemicals in order to remain competitive. But the role of Monsanto in any deal has been a sticking point.

Monsanto approached Bayer earlier this year to express interest in the latter's crop science unit, in the form of an acquisition or joint venture, sources told Reuters in March.

In a sign of how quickly Bayer turned the tables on Monsanto, the latter's President and Chief Operating Officer, Brett Begemann, dismissed speculation of the company being a takeover target for Bayer or BASF at an investor conference in New York earlier on Wednesday.

"It's all wild speculation because there's nothing there," he said.

Both Bayer and BASF had been exploring tie-ups with Monsanto for several months, but valuation concerns have made a deal elusive, people familiar had previously told Reuters.

Bayer is ranked No. 2 in crop chemicals, with an 18 percent market share, according to industry data. The largest, Syngenta, has a 19 percent share.

Monsanto is the leader in seeds, with a 26 percent market share, followed by DuPont, with 21 percent. DuPont agreed last year to merge with Dow Chemical.

Morgan Stanley & Co and Ducera Partners are acting as financial advisors to Monsanto, the company said in its statement, while Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz is acting as legal advisor.


Jan 12, 2017 

Bayer says had productive meeting with Trump over Monsanto deal

German drugs and pesticides maker Bayer, which will need regulatory approval for its $66 billion deal to buy U.S. seeds giant Monsanto, said company chief executives had a productive meeting with U.S. president-elect Donald Trump.

Trump talked to Bayer Chief Executive Werner Baumann, Monsanto CEO Hugh Grant and some of their advisers in New York, his transition team said on Wednesday, part of meetings before he takes office later this month.

"It was a productive meeting about the future of agriculture and the need for innovation," a Bayer spokesman said on Thursday, declining to provide more details for the moment.

The fate of major proposed mergers, not just Bayer-Monsanto but also Dow Chemical and DuPont, which plan to spin off their combined agriculture businesses, will be decided by Trump's nominees to lead antitrust enforcement at the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission.

Antitrust and industry experts see the regulatory hurdles to a deal as manageable because Bayer's main business in agriculture is pesticides while Monsanto's focus is on genetically modified seeds.

Under such a scenario, Bayer could at worst be asked to divest soybean, cotton and canola seed assets as well as LibertyLink-branded crops that are resistant to its glufosinate herbicide, an important alternative to Monsanto's Roundup Ready seeds.

But uncertainty remains over what regulators will make of the merged group's grip of the overall agriculture market, with a combined market share in seeds and pesticides of about 28 percent.

Critics argue this dominant market position will allow it to crimp research and development efforts. Bayer has said that much needed innovation will come from combined seeds-chemicals offerings and that it needs to merge to compete against other integrated suppliers such as the future Dow-Dupont.

The meeting took place on the day of Trump's first news conference as president-elect, which also saw him slam drug companies as "getting away with murder" in what they charge the government for medicines.

Bayer, the inventor of aspirin, is among the world's top 20 pharmaceutical groups, with products including Yasmin birth-control pills and stroke prevention drug Xarelto.

------------      ↑

January 18, 2017

Bayer-Monsanto Pledge Investment, Jobs After Trump Meeting

Bayer AG and Monsanto Co. promised President-elect Donald Trump $8 billion of investment in the U.S. and thousands of new jobs should the companies’ planned merger, the biggest-ever in agriculture, clear regulatory approvals.

Bayer Chief Executive Officer Werner Baumann promised to add 3,000 jobs at Monsanto while keeping its headquarters in St. Louis after the deal is completed, Trump spokesman Sean Spicer said Tuesday.
Both companies had previously announced their intention to keep the location of the Monsanto offices, but the commitment on jobs is new, and follows a visit last week by both Baumann and Monsanto CEO Hugh Grant to Trump and his aides in New York. The CEOs said in a joint statement that "several thousand new high-tech well-paying jobs" will be added after the integration of the two companies.

U.S. businesses are facing more pressure to show that they’re creating American jobs ahead of Friday’s scheduled inauguration of Trump, who made the issue a signature of his campaign. Earlier on Tuesday, he praised General Motors Co. for a $1 billion American investment plan, having criticized the company earlier in January for importing some models from Mexico.
On Tuesday, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. also boasted about job growth. Ford Motor Co. and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV announced spending plans last week that Trump lauded.

Job Pressure
The proposed $66 billion takeover of Monsanto by Germany’s Bayer would create the world’s largest producer of pesticides and genetically modified seeds. The merged company expects to spend about $16 billion in research and development in agriculture in the next six years, with at least half of the investment made in the U.S., Bayer and Monsanto said in their statement Tuesday. The two companies spent about $5.9 billion combined on R&D in 2015, data compiled by Bloomberg show.
Trump rode to his election victory partly on strong backing from rural voters, which could increase the President-elect’s desire to bring an economic turnaround for those supporters. A year ago, Monsanto announced that it would shed 3,600 jobs, or about 16 percent of its global workforce, in a bid to lower costs. The company is already the world’s biggest seed producer.
Agricultural companies could also come under increased scrutiny as a wave of mega-deals announced in the past year has the potential to transform the industry. Critics have raised antitrust concerns about Bayer-Monsanto, but the companies have argued the merger will speed innovation and help farmers increase their yields.

‘Deeply Disturbing’
The National Farmers Union, the second-biggest U.S. farm group, is among those that oppose the deal. In a statement Tuesday, it said the meeting between the CEOs and president-elect “is deeply disturbing if it leads to an approval of the Bayer-Monsanto acquisition by the incoming Trump Administration.”
Still, the meeting is “positive” for getting U.S. approval, though the merger still needs regulatory approval in other countries, Chris Shaw, an analyst at Monness Crespi Hardt & Co. in New York, said by phone.
Bayer and Monsanto’s plan to stay and invest in the U.S. Midwest is key to its business, since it would market to farmers, but also lines up with Trump’s rhetoric, said Jason Miner, an analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence in Skillman, New Jersey.
“It’s good politics and good business strategy at once,” Miner said.

 


May 8, 2017  

Bayer to sell Liberty crop protection brands to get Monsanto deal passed

Bayer has agreed to sell its Liberty herbicide and LibertyLink-branded seeds businesses to win antitrust approval for its acquisition of Monsanto, it said on Monday May 8.

The divestment of the two global brands, a requirement imposed by South Africa's Competition Commission on Sunday, will account for the bulk of asset sales worth about $2.5 billion which need to be made to satisfy competition regulators looking at the $66 million Monsanto deal, sources close to the matter have said.

"Bayer has agreed to these conditions and is evaluating how best to execute the imposed divestiture," the German group said in its statement.

It would not comment on revenues, number of affected staff or the value of the assets.

While South Africa is a relatively small market for the two global agricultural supplies giants, the move marks the first time for Bayer to acknowledge it has to sell the two related Liberty brands, which compete with Monsanto's Roundup weed killer and Roundup Ready seeds.

The planned divestitures are also widely expected to be required by competition regulators in larger jurisdictions, such as the United States, where approval has been requested, and the European Union, where an application for approval has yet to be made.

"Bayer will continue working with regulators globally with a view to receiving approval of the proposed transaction by the end of 2017," the company said, reaffirming an earlier goal.

LibertyLink seeds, mainly used by soy, cotton and canola growers, are an important alternative to Roundup Ready seeds for farmers suffering from weeds that have developed resistance to the Roundup herbicide, also known as glyphosate.

The spread of Roundup-resistant weeds in North America has been a major driver behind Liberty sales.

Monsanto, for its part, has responded by combining Roundup with older weed killer dicamba to finish off the Roundup-resistant weeds, while selling farm crops that withstand the plant-killing effects of both compounds.

As part of a global investment drive worth hundreds of millions of euros to double the global output capacity of Liberty since 2013, Bayer has built a production plant in Mobile, Alabama, to complement an existing facility in Frankfurt, Germany.



October 13, 2017  Bayer 

Bayer signs agreement to sell selected Crop Science businesses to BASF for EUR 5.9 billion
  Milestone on Bayer’s path to completing the planned acquisition of Monsanto

Package includes global glufosinate-ammonium business and selected seeds activities /
Assets generated total sales of EUR 1.3 billion in 2016 /
Sale is subject to successful closing of Bayer’s acquisition of Monsanto /
BASF has committed to maintain employment for all transferring permanent employees for at least three years post closing

In light of the planned acquisition of Monsanto, Bayer has signed an agreement to sell selected Crop Science businesses to BASF for EUR 5.9 billion. The assets to be sold generated net sales of approximately EUR 1.3 billion in 2016. “We are taking an active approach to address potential regulatory concerns, with the goal of facilitating a successful close of the Monsanto transaction,” explained Werner Baumann, Chairman of the Board of Management of Bayer AG. “At the same time, we are pleased that, in BASF, we have found a strong buyer for our businesses that will continue to serve the needs of growers and offer our employees long-term prospects.” The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals as well as the successful closing of Bayer’s acquisition of Monsanto.

The assets to be sold include Bayer’s global glufosinate-ammonium business
グルホシネートアンモニウム塩非選択性のアミノ酸系除草剤 and the related LibertyLink™(Bayerの除草剤 Liberty に耐性をもつ作物) technology for herbicide tolerance, essentially all of the company’s field crop seeds businesses, as well as respective research and development capabilities. The seeds businesses being divested include the global cotton seed business (excluding India and South Africa), the North American and European canola seed businesses and the soybean seed business. The transaction includes the transfer of relevant intellectual property and facilities, as well as more than 1,800 employees primarily in the United States, Germany, Brazil, Canada and Belgium. As part of the agreement, BASF has committed to maintain all permanent positions, under similar conditions, for at least three years after closing of the transaction.

“We are very grateful to our employees, who have played a key role in the success of these businesses over the years,” said Baumann. “At the same time, we are aware of the need to address certain overlaps in the combined product portfolio of Bayer and Monsanto.” Bayer continues to work diligently with the relevant authorities with the aim of closing the planned acquisition of Monsanto by early 2018.

“With this acquisition, we are seizing the opportunity to purchase highly attractive assets in key row crops and markets. We look forward to growing these innovative and profitable businesses and to welcoming the experienced and dedicated team in crop protection, seeds and traits. These businesses are an excellent match for BASF Group’s portfolio,” said Dr. Kurt Bock, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF SE.

“I am very pleased that, in BASF, Bayer has selected an acquirer that, like our company, attaches a great deal of importance to social partnership and values its employees. I welcome the fact that BASF has committed to offering comparable employment conditions for our colleagues,” said Oliver Zühlke, Chairman of the Bayer Central Works Council.

Bayer will continue to own, operate and maintain these businesses until the closing of this divestiture. After the closure of the planned Monsanto acquisition, Bayer will continue to be active in these same areas as a result of Monsanto’s current programs, products and offerings.

The base purchase price of EUR 5.9 billion excludes the value of any net working capital and will be subject to customary adjustments at closing, including the value of any inventories transferred to BASF. Bayer will use net proceeds from the announced divestiture to partially refinance the planned acquisition of Monsanto. Bayer will provide an update on the total expected synergies from the Monsanto acquisition latest upon closing of the transaction.

BofA Merrill Lynch and Credit Suisse are acting as financial advisors to Bayer. Bayer’s legal advisors are Sullivan & Cromwell, Dentons, Cohen & Grigsby and Redeker, Sellner & Dahs.

 

Bayerは2016年9月14日、Monsantoの1株128米ドルの現金での買収で合意したと発表した。

債務を含む買収総額は約660億ドル、債務除きでは570億ドルの買収で、9月6日に提示した1株 127.50ドルからさらに引き上げ、ようやく合意にこぎつけた。
買収価格は、Bayerが書面で初めて提案を行う前の5月9日のMonsanto株価に44%上乗せした水準である。

買収は2017年末までに完了する見通し。

EUは2017年8月22日、本件についてのin-depth investigation を開始した。
買収によって農薬や種子などの分野で、競争が損なわれ、販売価格の上昇や品質の低下、選択肢の減少、技術革新の停滞などにつながる懸念があるとの暫定的な判断を示した。
2018年1月8日までに買収を承認するかどうか判断する。

2016/9/19  Bayer、Monsantoを買収 

日経 2017/10/14

 医薬・農薬大手の独バイエルは13日、欧州化学最大手の独BASFに農薬・種子事業の一部を59億ユーロ(約7800億円)で売却すると発表した。バイエルは種子大手の米モンサントの買収で合意しているが、独占禁止当局による承認が遅れている。同事業の売上高の約13%を切り離し、独占が進むとの懸念を払拭する狙いだ。

 売却するのは13億ユーロの売り上げに相当する除草剤や、インドと南米を除く綿種子、北米・欧州の菜種・大豆などの事業。関連する研究開発部門も含む1800人がBASFに移る。バイエルが2018年初めとしているモンサント買収の完了を前提に、18年3月までに手続きを終える。

 バイエルは16年9月にモンサントを約660億ドル(約7兆4千億円)で買収することで合意していた。遺伝子組み換え種子最大手のモンサントを買収して農業事業を強化しようとしているバイエルが、なぜその事業の一部を売却するのか。背景には思うように進まない買収手続きがある。

 バイエルのヴェルナー・バウマン社長は13日の声明で「規制当局の潜在的な懸念を払拭するため自ら行動して、モンサントの買収を成功させる」とコメントした。

 バイエルは当初、17年中の買収完了を目指していた。しかし8月、欧州連合(EU)が本格的な調査を始めた。これを受け、バイエルは9月、スケジュールが18年にずれ込むことを公表した。

 農薬・種子業界では大型のM&A(合併・買収)が相次いでいる。米ダウ・ケミカルと米デュポンが統合し9月にダウ・デュポンが誕生。スイスのシンジェンタは6月に中国化工集団(ケムチャイナ)の傘下に入った。

 寡占が進んでおり、EUなどの当局は競争が阻害されることを懸念している。バイエルによるモンサントの買収が決まれば「ビッグ3」に集約され、農薬・種子価格の買い手である農家が不利益を被る恐れがあるからだ。バイエルは今回の事業切り離しで承認を一気に前進させたい考えだ。

 玉突き的に発生した今回の再編には、BASFにも利点がある。バイエルの農薬種子事業の16年の売上高は99億ユーロに対し、BASFの同事業は56億ユーロ。バイエルから買収する一部事業を単純合算すると69億ユーロとなる。BASFのクルト・ボック社長は「BASFのポートフォリオの柱である健全な農薬事業を強化できる」と述べた。

 BASFの同事業をめぐってはバイエルによる買収が決まる前のモンサントが買収を試みていた経緯がある。BASFは単独路線を選んだが、「ビッグ3」の誕生で、どう対抗するのかが課題に浮上してきた。バイエルの事業買収で第4極として存在感を高めたい考えだ。

 

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Oct 13, 2017 BASF

BASF signs agreement to acquire significant parts of Bayer’s seed and non-selective herbicide businesses

  • Strengthens and expands BASF’s Agricultural Solutions offer
  • Attractive and targeted portfolio additions in key row crops in select countries
  • Underpins BASF’s commitment to agriculture, innovation and long-term growth

BASF has signed an agreement to acquire significant parts of Bayer’s seed and non-selective herbicide businesses. Bayer intends to divest these assets in the context of its planned acquisition of Monsanto. The all-cash purchase price is €5.9 billion, subject to certain adjustments at closing. The assets to be acquired include Bayer’s global glufosinate-ammonium non-selective herbicide business, commercialized under the Liberty®, Basta® and Finale® brands, as well as its seed businesses for key row crops in select markets: canola hybrids in North America under the InVigor® brand using the LibertyLink® trait technology, oilseed rape mainly in European markets, cotton in the Americas and Europe as well as soybean in the Americas. The transaction also includes Bayer’s trait research and breeding capabilities for these crops and the LibertyLink® trait and trademark.

For the full year 2016, sales of the business to be purchased from Bayer amounted to around €1.3 billion and EBITDA to around €385 million. The transaction is subject to the closing of Bayer’s acquisition of Monsanto and approval by relevant authorities. It is expected to close in the first quarter of 2018.

“With this investment, we are seizing the opportunity to acquire highly attractive assets in key row crops and markets. It will be a strategic complement to BASF’s well-established and successful crop protection business as well as to our own activities in biotechnology,” said Dr. Kurt Bock, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF SE. “The acquisition will further enhance our agricultural solutions offer, which is a core pillar of BASF’s portfolio.”

The acquisition complements BASF’s crop protection business, strengthening the company’s herbicide portfolio and marking its entry into the seed business with proprietary assets in key agricultural markets. “Building on the competent new team members and the enhanced portfolio, we will offer farmers a greater choice of solutions addressing their needs for high-quality seeds, chemical and biological crop protection,” explained Saori Dubourg, Member of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF SE and responsible for the Agricultural Solutions segment. “Moreover, this transaction will create new opportunities for future growth and strengthen our global innovation potential.”

More than 1,800 commercial, R&D, breeding and production personnel shall transfer from Bayer to BASF. These employees are primarily located in the United States, Germany, Brazil, Canada and Belgium. Furthermore, BASF will acquire the manufacturing sites for glufosinate-ammonium production and formulation in Germany, the United States, and Canada, seed breeding facilities in the Americas and Europe as well as trait research facilities in the United States and Europe. “We look forward to welcoming our new colleagues to BASF. As highly experienced, dedicated and motivated professionals they will enrich our team with their expert knowledge in crop protection, seeds and traits. Together, we will shape the long-term success of BASF, serving the needs of farmers around the globe,” said Markus Heldt, President of BASF’s Crop Protection division.


January 11, 2018

Bayer sells 10.4 percent stake in Covestro

Bayer AG has reduced its direct interest in Covestro from 24.6 percent to 14.2 percent, selling a total of 21 million shares at a price of EUR 86.25 per share. Due to strong interest shown by investors, the placement volume amounted to EUR 1.8 billion, clearly exceeding the EUR 1.5 billion initially envisaged. The share placement took place on Wednesday evening after market close and was aimed exclusively at institutional investors. Credit Suisse and Goldman Sachs International acted as joint bookrunners. As part of the placement, Bayer has agreed to a 90-day lock-up period.

Apart from the direct interest that Bayer AG holds in Covestro, Bayer Pension Trust holds a further 8.9 percent. As already announced, Bayer intends to achieve full separation from Covestro in the medium term.

Apr 20, 2018 

Bayer gains Russian approval for Monsanto deal
 

Bayer AG said Friday that Russian antitrust authorities have approved its proposed $57 billion acquisition of Monsanto Co.  on the condition that the German company transfers certain technologies to Russian recipients.

Under the terms of the approval, Bayer agreed to transfer selected molecular breeding assets in several crops for a period of five years, the company said. It didn't specify who the Russian recipients will be.

Bayer said it has agreed to grant non-discriminatory access to digital-farming technologies after the products have been launched in Russia.

The approval brings Bayer a step closer toward achieving its goal of acquiring Monsanto, which it first announced in 2016 and which it aims to close in the second quarter of 2018.

Bayer received conditional approval from the European Commission in March and is still waiting for a ruling from the U.S. Department of Justice.
 


2018/04/27 

BASF、バイエルの種子と農薬に係る事業・資産を追加で買収することについて同社と合意

Bayer 発表April 26, 2018

In light of the proposed acquisition of Monsanto, Bayer has signed an agreement to sell further Crop Science businesses to BASF for up to 1.7 billion euros. The businesses to be sold generated total sales of 745 million euros in 2017.

“With this move, we are implementing the corresponding undertakings made to the European Commission and other regulatory authorities to allow the successful closing of the Monsanto transaction,” explained Werner Baumann, Chairman of the Board of Management of Bayer AG. “In BASF, we are pleased that, for these businesses too, we have found a strong buyer that will continue to serve the needs of growers and offer our employees long-term prospects.”

The transaction is subject to regulatory approval as well as the successful closing of Bayer’s acquisition of Monsanto.

 

  • 野菜種子事業、特定の種子処理事業、小麦交配種の研究開発プラットフォーム、  デジタル農業プラットフォームを買収
  • BASFの農薬事業を補完し農業生産者により幅広い製品を提供
  • さらなる技術の獲得により成長とイノベーションを促進

BASFは2017年10月のバイエルとの合意内容に加え、バイエルがモンサント買収の計画の一環として売却する事業と資産を追加して買収することで同社と合意しました。新たに追加されたのは以下の事業です。

  • Nunhems®ブランドで世界的に販売されているすべての野菜種子事業
  • Poncho®、VOTiVO®、COPeO® 、ILeVO®の各ブランドで販売されている種子処理製品
  • 小麦交配種の研究開発プラットフォーム
  • 最新のデジタル農業プラットフォーム、xarvioTM

この取引にはバイエルのオーストラリアにおける菜種事業、主に非農耕地で利用される欧州における特定のグリホセートを用いた除草剤、キャノーラ品質カラシナの研究、特定の非選択性除草剤と殺線虫剤研究プロジェクトが含まれます。

追加の事業と資産の買収金額は17億ユーロ(取引実行時に調整の可能性あり)で、全額現金取引となります。2017年通期におけるこれらの事業のバイエルにおける売上高は7億4500万ユーロです。

BASFは2017年10月13日にバイエルとの間で、バイエルのグルホシネート・アンモニウムを用いた非選択性除草剤のグローバル事業、特定の市場の主要な畑作物の種子事業、これらの作物に関する形質研究および育種技術、LibertyLink®の技術と商標の買収で合意しました。2017年通期におけるこれらの事業のバイエルにおける売上高は15億ユーロです。前回の合意に基づく買収金額は、59億ユーロ(取引実行時に調整の可能性あり)で、全額現金取引となります。今回の買収はこれに加えて追加されるものです。

前回と今回の合意により買収するすべての事業のバイエルにおける2017年通期の売上高は22億ユーロ、2016年通期の売上高は20億ユーロです。2016年通期の利益・税金・償却控除前利益(EBITDA)は5億5000万ユーロです(試算ベース)。この取引はBASFの農薬事業とバイオテクノロジー分野の活動を補完し、利益性のある成長とイノベーション創出につながります。両方の合意による買収金額は76億ユーロ(取引実行時に調整の可能性あり)で、全額現金取引となります。

「この買収により、BASFは農薬製品群を強化するとともに主要市場の種子事業に参入し、農業生産者にとってより良いパートナーとなります。買収範囲の拡大により、全世界で成長基盤の構築を加速します」とBASF取締役会会長のDr.クルト・ボックは述べています。

「この合意は農業分野におけるBASFの将来を形成する上で、重要な節目となります。新たな社員がチームに加わり、私たちの成長過程で重要な役割を果たしてくれることを期待し、楽しみにしています。お客様にはバランスのとれた革新的な製品群をご提供し、皆様の農業ビジネスの発展に貢献します」とBASF取締役で農業関連製品事業を管轄するサオリ・デュボーグは述べています。

「種子、形質、化学的・生物学的農薬、土壌、プラントヘルス、そしてデジタル農業におよぶポートフォリオの拡大により、生産者を支援するより多くのツールを得ることになります。これらの取引完了後は、12,000名以上の農業分野における経験豊かな社員が革新的思考と行動力をもってお客様の収量、作物の質、収益性の改善をサポートします」とBASF農薬事業部門プレジデントのマルクス・ヘルドは述べています。

すべての取引は2018年第2四半期に予定されているバイエルによるモンサントの買収取引の実行が条件とされています。また、バイエルがモンサント買収の計画の一環として売却する事業と資産のBASFによる買収には、関連する規制当局による承認が条件になります。

 



May 4, 2018    

Bayer concludes process to sell Covestro
14.2 percent interest sold for 2.2 billion euros / 6.8 percent of shares retained to repay exchangeable bond

 
On Thursday night, the Bayer Group sold 28.81 million shares representing a 14.2 percent interest in Covestro at a price of 75.50 euros per share. The proceeds of this sale totaled 2.2 billion euros.

Bayer AG now holds just 6.8 percent of Covestro shares to repay the exchangeable bond that matures in 2020. Bayer AG acquired these shares from Bayer Pension Trust, which now no longer holds any Covestro shares.
 


May 29, 2018  Bayer

U. S. Department of Justice conditionally approves Bayer’s proposed acquisition of Monsanto
Operations of Bayer and Monsanto to be integrated as soon as divestments to BASF have been accomplished

On Tuesday (2018/5/29) , Bayer obtained conditional approval from the Antitrust Division of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) for the proposed acquisition of Monsanto. “Receipt of the DOJ’s approval brings us close to our goal of creating a leading company in agriculture,” said Bayer CEO Werner Baumann. “We want to help farmers across the world grow more nutritious food in a more sustainable way.” Bayer has now obtained almost all clearances which are conditions for closing the transaction. The company expects to receive any outstanding approvals required for completing the transaction very shortly.

Bayer will become the sole shareholder of Monsanto Company following the receipt of outstanding approvals. According to the DOJ’s conditional approval, the integration of Monsanto into Bayer can take place as soon as the divestments to BASF have been accomplished. This is expected to be in approximately two months.

-----

May 29, 2018  US Justice Department 

Justice Department Secures Largest Merger Divestiture Ever to Preserve Competition Threatened by Bayer’s Acquisition of Monsanto

Robust Structural Solution Fully Resolves All Horizontal and Vertical Competition Concerns Raised by the Merger, Protecting American Farmers and Consumers
The Department of Justice announced today that it is requiring Bayer AG to divest businesses and assets collectively worth approximately $9 billion in order to proceed with its proposed $66 billion acquisition of Monsanto Company.  The proposed divestiture to BASF, an experienced chemical company with a substantial crop protection business, will fully resolve all horizontal and vertical competition concerns.  As a result, American farmers and consumers will continue to benefit from competition in this industry.  

“This comprehensive structural solution to significant horizontal and vertical competition concerns—the largest merger divestiture ever required by the United States—preserves competition in the sale of these critical agricultural products and protects American farmers and consumers,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Antitrust Division.  “We commend the parties for working with the Antitrust Division to resolve our concerns on behalf of American consumers.” 

The Department’s Antitrust Division today filed a civil antitrust lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to block the proposed transaction while simultaneously filing a proposed settlement that, if approved by the court, would resolve the Department’s competitive concerns.  

Bayer, based in Leverkusen, Germany, and Monsanto, headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, are two of the largest agricultural companies in the world.  They compete to provide farmers with a broad range of seed and crop protection products.  Bayer and Monsanto also have been leaders in developing technologies that have allowed farmers to increase significantly crop yields and improve efficiency.  Without the agreed-to divestitures, the proposed merger would likely result in higher prices, lower quality, and fewer choices across a wide array of seed and crop protection products.  The merger also threatened to stifle the innovation in agricultural technologies that has delivered significant benefits to American farmers and consumers.

Under the terms of the proposed settlement, Bayer must divest those Bayer businesses that compete with Monsanto today.  These include Bayer’s cotton, canola, soybean, and vegetable seed businesses, as well as Bayer’s Liberty herbicide business, a key competitor of Monsanto’s well-known Roundup herbicide.  

The settlement also requires structural divestitures to remedy the competitive harm that would result from the vertical integration of certain significant Bayer seed treatment businesses with Monsanto’s leading seed businesses.  Additionally, because Bayer and Monsanto currently compete to develop new products and services, the settlement requires the divestiture of certain intellectual property and research capabilities, including “pipeline” R&D projects.  Finally, in order to fully prevent competitive harm from the merger, the settlement requires the divestiture of additional complementary assets that are needed to ensure that BASF has the same innovation incentives, capabilities and scale that Bayer would have as an independent competitor including, most notably, Bayer’s nascent “digital agriculture” business. 

The settlement also includes, consistent with other settlements in this Administration, several provisions designed to improve the effectiveness of the decree and the Division’s future ability to enforce it.  

The Department expressed thanks to its enforcement partners around the world, especially its counterparts at the European Commission, the Canadian Competition Bureau, and the Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE) of Brazil, for their close and constructive collaboration on this matter.  

As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed settlement, along with the Department’s competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register.  Any person may submit written comments concerning the proposed settlement within 60 days of its publication to Kathleen S. O’Neill, Chief, Transportation, Energy & Agriculture Section, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 8000, Washington, D.C.  20530.  At the conclusion of the 60-day comment period, the court may enter the final judgment upon a finding that it serves the public interest.


 

June 7, 2018  Bayer                        2018/6/7 買収完了、Monsantoの上場廃止、Bayerの100%子会社に。両社統合は当局に約束した売却の完了後で約2か月後

Bayer closes Monsanto acquisition

Bayer successfully completed the acquisition of Monsanto on Thursday 2018/6/7. Shares in the U.S. company will no longer be traded on the New York Stock Exchange, with Bayer now the sole owner of Monsanto Company. Monsanto shareholders are being paid 128 U.S. dollars per share. J.P. Morgan assisted Bayer with processing the purchase price payment for the largest acquisition in the company’s history. According to the conditional approval from the United States Department of Justice, the integration of Monsanto into Bayer can take place as soon as the divestments to BASF have been completed. This integration process is expected to commence in approximately two months.

“Today is a great day: for our customers – farmers around the world whom we will be able to help secure and improve their harvests even better; for our shareholders, because this transaction has the potential to create significant value; and for consumers and broader society, because we will be even better placed to help the world’s farmers grow more healthy and affordable food in a sustainable manner. As a leading innovation engine in agriculture, we offer employees around the world attractive jobs and development opportunities,” said Werner Baumann, Chairman of the Bayer Board of Management. “Our sustainability targets are as important to us as our financial targets. We aim to live up to the heightened responsibility that a leadership position in agriculture entails and to deepen our dialogue with society.”

“Today’s closing represents an important milestone toward the vision of creating a leading agricultural company, supporting growers in their efforts to be more productive and sustainable for the benefit of our planet and consumers,” said Hugh Grant, outgoing Chairman and CEO of Monsanto. “I am proud of the path we have paved as Monsanto and look forward to the combined company helping move modern agriculture forward.”

Liam Condon, member of the Bayer Board of Management, will lead the combined Crop Science Division when the integration commences. Until that time, Monsanto will operate independently from Bayer.


 


June 19, 2019 

Bayer asks trial judge to reverse $2 billion Roundup jury verdict

Bayer AG has asked a California judge to overrule a $2 billion verdict by jurors who found the company’s glyphosate-based Roundup weed killer responsible for a couple’s cancer, arguing the jury decision was not supported by evidence.

The German drugmaker and chemicals company in court filings on Monday in Alameda County Superior Court in Oakland blamed the massive verdict on “inflammatory, fabricated and irrelevant evidence” from the couples’ lawyers.

“The resulting trial focused not on ascertaining the truth regarding the state of the science, causation, and compliance with legal duties, but instead on vilifying Monsanto in the abstract,” the company, which bought Monsanto last year for $63 billion, said in motions filed with the court.

Bayer faces Roundup cancer lawsuits by more than 13,400 plaintiffs across the United States. It denies the allegations, saying the weed killer and its active ingredient glyphosate is safe for human use.

The verdict and two prior jury decisions against Bayer have triggered steep declines in Bayer shares, leaving it with a market valuation of $56 billion.

Bayer asked Superior Court Judge Winifred Smith, who presided over the roughly seven-week long trial, to reverse the jury decision and enter judgment in Bayer’s favor, or order a new trial.

The Oakland jury on May 13 awarded more than $2 billion to Alva and Alberta Pilliod, finding their non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma to have been caused by using Roundup to kill weeds on their property between 1975 and 2011.

The jury awarded $18 million in compensatory and $1 billion in punitive damages to Alva Pilliod, and $37 million in compensatory and $1 billion in punitive damages to his wife.

2019/5/21 Monsantoの除草剤 Roundup による発癌被害での裁判で20億ドル超の罰金 


Bayer in its court filings called the punitive damages excessive and unconstitutional, and asked Smith to toss or significantly reduce the award. The large punitive damages award is likely to be reduced due to U.S. Supreme Court rulings that limit the ratio of punitive to compensatory damages to 9:1.

Michael Miller, a lawyer for the Pilliods, in a statement on Tuesday said the verdict would be sustained.

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“Monsanto is arguing the same worn out arguments it unsuccessfully used in the first trial,” Miller said.

In that trial, a California jury in 2018 awarded $289 million to a California groundskeeper, finding Monsanto’s glyphosate-based weed killers caused his cancer. That award was later reduced to $78 million and being appealed.

In March, a federal jury in San Francisco awarded $80 million to another California man after finding Roundup caused his cancer. The company said it would appeal that decision.


July 16, 2019 

U.S. judge slashes Roundup jury award to $25.3 million; Bayer still plans to appeal     陪審員判断

  • - A federal judge on Monday slashed a damages award Bayer AG owed a California man who blamed Roundup weed killer for his cancer, to $25.27 million from $80.27 million, while rejecting the company’s bid for a new trial.
     

    U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria in San Francisco said evidence against the former Monsanto Co, which Bayer bought last year, supported the $5.27 million in compensatory damages that a jury awarded Edwin Hardeman. He also said the jury acted reasonably in awarding punitive damages.

    Chhabria nonetheless reduced punitive damages to $20 million from $75 million, saying that while Monsanto “deserves to be punished” the higher award was “constitutionally impermissible” because it was nearly 15 times the compensatory damages award.

    “Monsanto’s conduct, while reprehensible, does not warrant a ratio of that magnitude, particularly in the absence of evidence showing intentional concealment of a known or obvious safety risk,” Chhabria wrote.

    Hardeman said he used Roundup for many years starting in the 1980s to treat poison oak and weeds on his property.

    He was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2014, but is now in remission.

    Hardeman is one of more than 13,400 plaintiffs who have sued Bayer and Monsanto over Roundup, saying the herbicide’s active ingredient, glyphosate, is unsafe. His case was considered a bellwether for hundreds of similar cases before Chhabria.

    In a statement, Bayer called Chhabria’s decision “a step in the right direction,” but said it still plans to appeal.

    Bayer said the verdict and damages award “conflict with both the weight of the extensive science that supports the safety of Roundup, and the conclusions of leading health regulators in the U.S. and around the world that glyphosate is not carcinogenic.”

    Hardeman may appeal Chhabria’s decision to reduce the damages award, which one of his lawyers, Michael Baum, in a statement called a “reversible error.”

    U.S. Supreme Court precedents limit the ratio of punitive to compensatory damages to 9 to 1.

    “We are pleased that the judge denied Monsanto’s motion to throw out the verdict, and recognized that Monsanto deserved to be punished,” Jennifer Moore, a lawyer for Hardeman, said in an interview. “We disagree with any reduction in the jury verdict.”

    Bayer paid $63 billion for Monsanto.

    The case is In re Roundup Products Liability Litigation, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No. 16-md-02741. The Hardeman case is Hardeman v Monsanto Co in the same court, No. 16-00525.


  • Jul 22, 2019 

    Bayer sells Dr. Scholl's foot care business to Boston firm

    German pharmaceutical and chemical company Bayer AG says U.S. investment firm Yellow Wood Partners will buy its Dr. Scholl's foot care business for $585 million.

    Bayer said Monday that the sale will enable it to "focus on building its core over-the-counter brands." It said that Yellow Wood Partners, based in Boston, will create a stand-alone company and plans to invest in all aspects of the business.

    The transaction, which requires approval from competition authorities, is expected to close in the fourth quarter.

    Dr. Scholl's, which had sales of $234 million last year, makes insoles, inserts and a variety of foot care and treatment products.

    ーーー

    Dr.Scholl ブランドは北米とラテンアメリカではBayerが所有(Merck & Co. から買収)、その他の地域はReckitt Benckiserが所有していたが、2014年7月にドイツのprivate equity会社のAureliusが買収した。但し、RBジャパンの販売製品には今もDr.Schollが含まれている。



     

    August 20, 2019 

    Bayer to sell its Animal Health business unit to Elanco for 7.6 billion U.S. dollars

    Exit of Animal Health business completes the series of portfolio measures initiated by Bayer in November 2018 ahead of announced schedule / Enhances Bayer’s focus as a global leader in life sciences
     
    U.S.-based company Elanco Animal Health has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Bayer’s Animal Health business, Bayer announced on Tuesday. The transaction is valued at 7.6 billion U.S. dollars consisting of 5.3 billion U.S. dollars in cash, subject to customary purchase price adjustments, and 2.3 billion U.S. dollars in Elanco stock based on the unaffected 30-day volume weighted average price as of August 6, 2019. The value of the equity consideration is fixed within a 7.5 percent collar. The transaction value represents an implied multiple of 18.8x based on the 12 months EBITDA before special items of Bayer Animal Health as of June 30, 2019. The divestment is expected to be concluded in mid-2020 subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including antitrust clearance. Bayer intends to exit its stake in Elanco over time.

    “This transaction enhances our focus as a global leader in life sciences,” said Werner Baumann, Chairman of the Board of Management of Bayer AG. The exit of the Animal Health business marks the largest transaction in the series of portfolio measures initiated by Bayer in November 2018. The company had previously announced the divestiture of its Consumer Health brands Coppertone™ and Dr. Scholl’s™ along with the sale of its 60-percent stake in German site services provider Currenta. “We are therefore delivering ahead of schedule on one of the key priorities for driving value creation that we communicated at our Capital Markets Day in December 2018”, said Baumann.
        合理化 人員整理(2021年末までに) 除却損
    コア
    事業
    Pharmaceuticals ・イノベーションの加速、社内R&Dのリストラ
    ・血友病事業:ドイツWuppertalの第[因子設備を使わず、
     米Berkeleyの組換え第[因子設備に集中
     
    R&D 900
    Wuppertal(第[因子設備) 350
    Wuppertal(第[因子設備)6億ユーロ
    Consumer Health ・外部での開発が有利と思われる製品の切り離し
     スキンケア (Coppertone™)、フットケア (Dr. Scholl’s™) など
    改組 1,100 Merckからの買収製品、
    滇虹集団
    その他、合計27億ユーロ
    Crop Science ・Monsanto事業との統合 Monsantoとの統合 4,100  
    Animal Health ・処分を検討(やり方は今後決める)    
    Corporate   5,500〜6,000  
    Currenta (60%持分) ・処分を交渉する。→ 売却決定    
    合計   約 12,000  

    2018/12/3 Bayer、大規模な合理化策を発表、人員整理 12,000人 
     


    The combination is highly complementary and creates the number two animal health company, with top three positions across a broad range of species and geographies. It also enhances Elanco’s portfolio of leading global brands and bolsters its innovation capabilities and R&D pipeline.

    “I have tremendous respect for the Bayer Animal Health team and their shared passion for improving the health and well-being of animals,” said Jeffrey N. Simmons, president and chief executive officer of Elanco. “Combining Elanco’s strong relationship with veterinarians and Bayer’s leadership in retail and e-commerce will ultimately benefit all our customers. We look forward to joining our complementary portfolios and capabilities to build a fully focused animal health company, providing a sustained flow of innovation for farmers, veterinarians and pet owners.”

    Bayer’s Animal Health business is a global leader in the segment with sales of 1.8 billion U.S. dollars in fiscal 2018. It develops and markets innovative products and solutions to prevent and treat diseases in companion and farm animals. The Advantage™ family of flea, tick and worm control products, for instance, has been among the most successful products on the market for years. In addition, the innovative Seresto™ collar is one of the fastest-growing products in this area.

    “We would like to thank all our Animal Health employees for the commitment they have shown over the years and for the success this has brought to Bayer and to our Animal Health business. We were also able to safeguard the interests of our employees,” said Baumann. Under the agreement with Elanco, all Bayer Animal Health employees will have at least one year of employment protection against unilateral termination with similar and no less favorable benefits in the aggregate.

    Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Credit Suisse acted as financial advisors to Bayer, while Sullivan & Cromwell, PwC Legal and Linklaters acted as legal advisors.

    About Elanco
    Elanco is a global animal health company that develops products and knowledge services to prevent and treat disease in food animals and pets in more than 90 countries. With a 64-year heritage, we rigorously innovate to improve the health of animals and benefit our customers, while fostering an inclusive, cause-driven culture for more than 5,800 employees. At Elanco, we’re driven by our vision of food and companionship enriching life — all to advance the health of animals, people and the planet. Learn more at, go to www.elanco.com.

    エランコは、米国インディアナ州に本社を置く世界的な製薬企業、Eli Lilly and Company の一部門として1954年に設立され、1965年から日本でも活動を始めました。

    Elanco Animal Health Incorporated announced on March 11,2019、that it is now a fully independent company. The completion of Eli Lilly and Company’s exchange offer completes the journey Elanco began in 2017 when its former parent company first announced the exploration of potential strategic alternatives for the 64-year-old animal health company. The exchange offer was 7.6x oversubscribed.

    The share exchange was completed less than six months after Elanco’s IPO, when 19.8 percent of its shares were sold to the public. Since that time, Elanco has reported two quarters of financial and operating results as a standalone company and continues to demonstrate the strength of its strategy, with full year 2018 revenue increasing 6 percent to $3.1 billion.

     

    エランコは同分野で2位に浮上する。バイエルは2018年6月に種子大手の米モンサントの買収を完了。医療用医薬品と農業関連に集中するためアニマルヘルス事業から撤退する方針を打ち出していた。

     


    Bayer Wins Ruling Blocking California’s Roundup Warning

    Bayer AG’s Roundup won’t require a label in California warning consumers that a chemical in the weed killer is known to cause cancer.

    A federal judge in Sacramento on Monday ruled for Bayer and blocked the state from requiring that any company selling a glyphosate-based produce place a “clear and reasonable warning” on it.

    California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment listed glyphosate in July 2017 as a chemical known to the state to cause cancer. Bayer’s Monsanto unit has aggressively fought California’s move to add glyphosate to a list created by a voter-approved ballot initiative, Proposition 65, that requires explicit warnings for consumer products containing substances that may cause cancer or birth defects.

    U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb on Monday made final his 2018 preliminary ruling that requiring Bayer to provide the warning on Roundup is a violation of its free-speech protections. The International Agency for the Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization, has found glyphosate is likely to cause cancer but Shubb said others, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, found otherwise.

    “Notwithstanding the IARC’s determination that glyphosate is a ‘probable carcinogen,’ the statement that glyphosate is ‘known to the state of California to cause cancer’ is misleading,” the judge wrote. “Every regulator of which the court is aware, with the sole exception of the IARC, has found that glyphosate does not cause cancer or that there is insufficient evidence to show that it does.”

    A coalition of farming groups, including the National Corn Growers Association, National Association of Wheat Grower and Agricultural Retailers Association, joined Bayer in the lawsuit opposing the labeling.

    “This is a very important ruling for California agriculture and for science,” Bayer said in an emailed statement. The judge concluded “the evidence does not support a cancer-warning requirement for glyphosate-based products, which farmers all over the world depend on to control weeds, practice sustainable farming, and bring their products to market efficiently,” it said.

    Shubb also found that a warning label would expose Bayer to lawsuits in which it has the burden of showing that in using Roundup, exposure to glyphosate falls below the “no significant risk level” in Prop. 65 enforcement actions.

    “Facing enforcement actions, or even the possible risk of enforcement actions, are cognizable injuries, even if a business can ultimately prove that its product is not a cancer risk,” Shubb wrote.

    The case is National Association of Wheat Growers v. Zeise, 17-2401, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California (Sacramento).


    2015
    3WHOの下部組織である国際がん研究機関(IARC)がRoundupの有効成分であるglyphosate グループ2Aヒトに対しておそらく発がん性がある)に分類した。グループ2Aは、「ヒトへの発がん性については限られた証拠しかないが、実験動物の発がんについては十分な証拠がある場合」である。

    しかし、この判断は米国EPAやEU、豪州、ニュージーランド、ドイツ、日本、カナダなど各国の関係省庁の判断と異なる。

    EPAは2017年12月、glyphosateは"not likely to be carcinogenic to humans"との判断を再確認した。

    しかしながら、カリフォルニア州では上記IARCの判断に基づきglyphosateをカリフォルニアで発癌性があると知られる」"Prop 65" chemicals のリストに含めた。そして、 glyphosateを含む製品には警告ラベルを記載することを求めた。

    プロポジション65(Prop 65)は、正式名称を「1986年安全飲料水および有害物質施行法」といい、1986年11月の環境投票活動として有権者によって制定された。
    カリフォルニア州の市民および飲料水資源を、癌、先天異常または他の生殖害を引き起こすことが知られている化学物質から保護することを目的としている。

    この結果、裁判では発癌性の警告がラベルになかったとして有罪判決につながった。

    しかし、EPAは本判決後の本年8月、glyphosateを含む製品を登録している全社に手紙を送り、glyphosateはヒトへの発癌性はないとの判断に基づき、glyphosate製品ラベルにProp 65 の発癌性警告を載せることは「誤りで、ミスリーディングである」とした。

    ・法律では、農薬の "misbranding"は禁止されており、農薬のラベルはEPAの承認が必要である。
    ・EPAとしては、「誤りで、ミスリーディングである」発癌性警告を含んだglyphosate製品のラベルは承認しない。そのような警告はラベルから外す必要がある。
    ・連邦裁判所は既にカリフォルニア州がProp 65 labeling requirementを求めることを禁止している。(Nat'l Ass'n of Wheat Growers v. Zeise)

    2019/12/26 米EPAと司法省、除草剤Roundupの発癌被害裁判でBayer側支持の意見書 


    Aug 21, 2020 

    Bayer to pay $1.6 billion to end suits over contraceptive

    Bayer agreed to pay $1.6 billion to resolve most of the U.S. litigation over its now-withdrawn Essure contraceptive device, which some women said caused excessive bleeding and pelvic pain or failed to prevent pregnancies.

    外科手術を伴わない永続的避妊法の医療器具「エシュア」を巡り米国で提起された訴訟で、エシュアが過剰な出血と骨盤の痛みを引き起こしたとの報告や、避妊に失敗したとの苦情も一部の女性から寄せられていた。

    The deal will resolve about 90% of the 39,000 lawsuits consolidated in courts in California and Pennsylvania, Bayer said Thursday in a statement. The proposed payout is considerably more than the $1.1 billion Bayer paid in 2013 to acquire Conceptus, the company that developed the device.

    Bayer stopped selling Essure in 2018.

    Legal bills are piling up at Bayer. The Leverkusen, Germany-based company announced a $12.1 billion plan in June to settle lawsuits over products it inherited with the $63 billion takeover of Monsanto, including Roundup weedkiller. But Bayer still hasn’t resolved tens of thousands of current Roundup cancer claims or reached a deal for handling future suits over the herbicide, which would be covered by the plan.

    Investors have punished Bayer for its legal troubles. The shares are down by more than a third since the Monsanto acquisition closed in June 2018. CEO Werner Baumann has come under increasing pressure to chart a path forward, though investors gave him a vote of confidence in April. Bayer insists that Roundup is safe and has appealed three lost trials over the product.

    The Essure settlement was largely expected after Bayer said earlier this month that it had reserved 1.25 billion euros ($1.47 billion), primarily to settle litigation over the contraceptive implant. No cases have proceeded to trial.

    Bayer sought a deal on the Essure claims to remove the “distractions and uncertainties associated with this litigation,” according to its statement. The company said the settlement didn’t amount to an admission of wrongdoing or liability.

    Fidelma Fitzpatrick, the lead plaintiffs’ lawyer in the California Essure litigation, welcomed the agreement while noting that she and others had been prepared to allow juries to decide whether Bayer should be held liable for injuries.

    The settlement “would provide expedited relief to thousands of women,” Fitzpatrick, a partner in the Mount Pleasant, South Carolina-based Motley Rice law firm, said in an emailed statement. “Women have suffered for years not only physically, but also emotionally and financially from the often enormous Essure-related medical bills they face.”

    Thousands of women accused Bayer and Conceptus of failing to properly report injury complaints linked to Essure in order to protect hundreds of millions of dollars in sales. Experts hired by plaintiffs’ lawyers said the under-reporting of injuries -- which included unwanted pregnancies, excessive bleeding, organ damage, migraines and miscarriages -- kept Essure on the market without adequate safety warnings for a decade, according to files made public by a California judge last month.

    The judge unsealed the files, which included some Conceptus and Bayer internal records and emails, at the request of Public Justice, a nonprofit advocacy group backed by plaintiffs’ lawyers. In those filings, Bayer’s experts disputed allegations that its complaint-reporting systems were flawed and said they routinely passed U.S. Food and Drug Administration audits.

    In 2016, the FDA ordered Bayer to beef up safety information on Essure’s warning label. Sales fell, and the device maker stopped selling the implant two years later, calling it a “business decision.” At the time, thousands of women had launched a campaign on social media to have regulators order its removal from the market. The group was known as the “E-Sisters.”

    The first U.S. trial of Essure claims was set to start in state court in Oakland, Calif., earlier this year but was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic that closed businesses and courts. About 29,000 cases had been consolidated before Judge Winifred Smith with other cases being litigated in state and federal courts in Philadelphia, according to court records.

    In its release, Bayer said Thursday’s settlement only applied to U.S. suits. Lawyers for U.K. women who also got the implants complained their clients have been left out of discussions to resolve the cases. Harris Pogust, a lawyer for the women, said more than 100,000 women in Britain also got the devices.

    “Do women in the U.K. not feel the same pain? Have they not endured the same suffering?” Pogust said in a release. “It’s now time for Bayer to be held to account and to compensate the thousands of women in the U.K. who have suffered avoidable pain and suffering.”

     


    2020/10/27

    独バイエル、遺伝子治療の米社を買収 最大4200億円で

    独医薬・農薬大手のバイエルは26日、遺伝子治療の米 Asklepios BioPharmaceutical Inc. を最大40億ドルで買収すると発表した。2020年中の完了を目指す。難病治療への効果が期待される遺伝子治療の分野を強化する。

    2001年創業のAsklepios BioPharmaは非上場で米ノースカロライナ州を拠点としている。ポンペ病やパーキンソン病などの治療薬を開発している。買収はまず20億ドルを支払い、成功報酬として最大20億ドルを支払う仕組みだ。

    買収後もAsklepios BioPharmaは独立した企業として運営し、バイエルが立ち上げた細胞・遺伝子治療事業の一部を構成する。Asklepios BioPharmaは、遺伝子の運び手となるアデノ随伴ウイルス(AAV)を使った遺伝子治療に強みを持ち、医薬品の製法開発・製造受託(CDMO)も手がけている。

    October 26, 2020

    Bayer acquires Asklepios BioPharmaceutical to broaden innovation base in cell and gene therapy

    Acquisition fuels Bayer’s cell and gene therapy platform with potential to bring urgently needed treatments to patients across multiple disease areas with high unmet need / AskBio's industry leading AAV-based gene therapy platform already yielding commercial and clinical stage assets with potential of helping larger patient populations / Portfolio includes investigational pre-clinical and clinical stage development candidates for the treatment of neuromuscular, central nervous system, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases such as therapeutics for Pompe disease, Parkinson’s disease and congestive heart failure, as well as out-licensed clinical candidates for hemophilia and Duchenne muscular dystrophy / Acquisition secures additionally revenue generating Contract Development and Manufacturing Business based on highly efficient Pro10™ Cell line / AskBio to operate autonomously and on an arms-length basis / Purchase price of USD 2 billion upfront and up to USD 2 billion in success-based milestone payments

    Bayer AG today announced the acquisition of Asklepios BioPharmaceutical, Inc. (AskBio), a US-headquartered biopharmaceutical company specialized in the research, development and manufacturing of gene therapies across different therapeutic areas. AskBio’s development portfolio includes investigational pre-clinical and clinical stage candidates for the treatment of neuromuscular, central nervous system, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.

    Bayer will own full rights to AskBio’s gene therapy platform, including a broad intellectual property portfolio and an established contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) laying the foundation for future partnerships in the area of adeno-associated virus (AAV) therapies. The addition of AskBio to Bayer’s emerging cell and gene therapy (CGT) business strengthens Bayer’s commitment to the field. It complements the 2019 acquisition of BlueRock Therapeutics and consolidates Bayer’s ambition to create platforms with the potential to have an impact in multiple therapeutic areas. Under the terms of the agreement, Bayer will pay an upfront consideration of USD 2 billion and potential success-based milestone payments of up to USD 2 billion. Some 75 percent of the potential success-based milestone payments are expected to be due during the course of the next five years and the remaining amount late thereafter.

    “In line with our purpose ‘science for a better life’, we are committed to bringing significant improvements for patients through innovation,” said Werner Baumann, Chairman of the Board of Management (CEO) of Bayer AG. “With this acquisition, Bayer significantly advances the establishment of a cell and gene therapy platform that can be at the forefront of breakthrough science, contributing to preventing or even curing diseases caused by gene defects and further driving company growth in the future.”

    “As part of our strategy, we are building new therapeutic platforms including cell and gene therapies,” said Stefan Oelrich, Member of the Board of Management, Bayer AG and President of the Bayer’s Pharmaceuticals Division. “As an emerging leader in the rapidly advancing field of gene therapies, the expertise and portfolio of AskBio supports us in establishing highly innovative treatment options for patients and further strengthens our portfolio. We want to help patients whose medical needs are not yet met by today’s treatment options and we are looking forward to work together with the team at AskBio.”

    “Our innovation in capsid re-engineering and promoter design, coupled with our scaled manufacturing processes, gives us the tools to provide gene therapy solutions to more people suffering from a wider spectrum of disease that is not being adequately treated today,” said Dr. Richard Jude Samulski, Chief Scientific Officer and Co-Founder of AskBio. “With Bayer‘s worldwide reach and translational expertise, especially in pathway diseases, our combined cultures of scientific advancement and commitment to patients, along with the retention of AskBio’s independent structure, Bayer and AskBio are positioned to provide accelerated development of gene therapies to treat more patients who can benefit from them,” said Sheila Mikhail, CEO and Co-Founder of AskBio.

    Through the acquisition, Bayer will add an industry-leading adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based gene therapy platform to its portfolio, which has already demonstrated applicability across different therapeutic areas. Besides multiple clinical-stage assets for indications with high unmet need, the acquisition includes a state-of-the-art gene therapy technology platform as well as existing gene therapy manufacturing platform.

    Gene therapy offers new treatment options for many currently untreatable diseases, particularly genetic diseases caused by a single genetic defect.

    AskBio’s gene therapy platform includes an industry-leading cell line manufacturing process and an extensive AAV capsid and promoter library. The company has generated hundreds of proprietary third generation AAV capsids and promoters that offer differentiation through potentially improved efficacy, immune response and tissue and organ specificity. The platform represents one of the most advanced gene therapy platforms with the promise to also tackle polygenetic indications thereby also helping a larger number of patients. AskBio’s lead research programs, which are focused on Pompe disease, Parkinson’s disease and congestive heart failure are currently in early phases of clinical development.

    To preserve its entrepreneurial culture as an essential pillar for nurturing successful innovation, AskBio will continue to operate as an independent company on an arm’s-length basis. Bayer's newly established CGT unit will bundle Bayer's activities in this area moving forward in order to establish an innovation ecosystem for the participating partners within the Bayer organization.

    Closing of the transaction is contingent on customary closing conditions, including receipt of the required regulatory approvals, and is expected to take place during the fourth quarter of 2020.

    Credit Suisse is serving as financial advisor to Bayer, while Baker McKenzie is serving as legal counsel. JP Morgan is serving as financial advisor to AskBio, while Ropes & Gray is serving as legal counsel.

    About AskBio
    Founded in 2001, Asklepios BioPharmaceutical, Inc. (AskBio) is a privately held, clinical-stage gene therapy company dedicated to improving the lives of children and adults with genetic disorders. AskBio’s gene therapy platform includes an industry-leading proprietary cell line manufacturing process called Pro10™ and an extensive adeno-associated virus (AAV) capsid and promoter library. Based in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, the company has generated hundreds of proprietary third generation AAV capsids and promoters, several of which have entered clinical testing. An early innovator in the space, the company holds more than 500 patents in areas such as AAV production and chimeric and self-complementary capsids. AskBio maintains a portfolio of clinical programs across a range of neurodegenerative, neuromuscular and cardiovascular indications with a current clinical pipeline that includes therapeutics for Pompe disease, Parkinson’s disease and congestive heart failure, as well as out-licensed clinical indications for hemophilia and Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

    -----------------

    バイエルは2019年に人工多能性幹細胞(iPS細胞)を使った治療を開発する米バイオテクノロジー会社BlueRock Therapeuticsの完全子会社化を決めるなど、細胞・遺伝子治療の分野を強化している。

    バイエルとVersant Ventures は2016年12月12日、産業主導のプラットフォーム(基盤)を活用し幅広い疾患を治療することを目的として、ベストインクラスの多能性幹細胞(iPSC)療法を進展させる次世代再生医療会社BlueRock Therapeuticsを設立すると発表した。

    プラットフォームと開発パイプラインを実現するために、両社は、バイオテクノロジー会社のシリーズ A ファイナンスとして過去最大規模の 2億 2,500万 US ドルを確保する。ブこの資金によって少なくとも 4 年間の準備期間と、数々のプログラムを臨床段階に進めることが可能になり、循環器系疾患と神経変性疾患に初期の重点を置く。

    ーーー

    独製薬大手バイエルは2019年8月8日、米国のバイオテクノロジー会社BlueRock Therapeuticsを完全子会社にすると発表した。バイエルはBlueRock Therapeuticsの40.8%を保有しており、残りを2億4千万ドルで買い取る。幹細胞治療の分野を強化し、新薬の開発などにつなげる。



    January 7, 2021

    CureVac and Bayer join forces on COVID-19 vaccine candidate CVnCoV

    Companies enter into a collaboration and services agreement / Bayer to support CureVac in numerous areas, including development and supply of CVnCoV / CureVac benefits from Bayer´s expertise and established infrastructure / Plan to facilitate the supply of several hundred million doses

    Bayer has signed a collaboration and services agreement with CureVac N.V., a biopharmaceutical company developing a new class of transformative medicines based on messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA). Under the terms of the agreement, Bayer will support the further development, supply and key territory operations of CureVac´s COVID-19 vaccine candidate CVnCoV. To this end, Bayer will contribute its expertise and established infrastructure in areas such as clinical operations, regulatory affairs, pharmacovigilance, medical information, supply chain performance as well as support in selected countries.

    “The need for vaccines against COVID-19 is enormous. We are therefore pleased to be able to provide significant support to CureVac, a leader in mRNA technology, in advancing the further development and supply of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate,” said Stefan Oelrich, Member of the Board of Management, Bayer AG and President of the Bayer’s Pharmaceuticals Division. “We are highly committed to making our capabilities and networks available to help end this pandemic.”

    “We are very happy to join forces with Bayer, whose expertise and infrastructure will help us make our vaccine candidate CVnCoV even more rapidly available to as many people as possible,” said Dr. Franz-Werner Haas, Chief Executive Officer of CureVac. “Building on the positive data we have seen so far with CVnCoV, we now also have another strong partner on our side to get the vaccine to the people who need it following the receipt of the requisite regulatory approvals.”

    Based on the collaboration agreement, CureVac will be the Marketing Authorization Holder for the product, while Bayer will support CureVac with country operations within the European Union (EU) and selected additional markets. Bayer holds further options to become Marketing Authorization Holder in other markets outside of Europe. The companies plan to combine their strengths for CureVac to be in a position to supply hundreds of millions of CVnCoV doses around the world, once approvals are granted. Together both companies aim to play a meaningful role to contribute to stop the COVID-19 pandemic.

    CureVac is currently expanding its partner network for the development, production and distribution of its vaccine candidate. In November 2020, the company announced that it would ramp up its European manufacturing network, working with Wacker and Fareva, amongst others. On December 14, 2020 the company achieved another milestone in the development of CVnCoV with the start of its global pivotal Phase 2b/3.

    ドイツのバイオ製薬会社 CureVac が開発中の新型コロナウイルスのワクチンを独占するために、米国が巨額の資金支援を約束したとの報道がなされた。ドイツ政府が激怒し、阻止に乗り出したとしている。

    批判が強まり、CureVecの筆頭株主 Dietmar Hopp(SAPの創業者)がドイツ紙 Mannheimer Morgen に「このワクチンは特定地域だけでなく全世界のすべての人が使うべきだ」として、米国に独占権を与えることはないと述べた。

    2020/3/19 米国がコロナウイルスワクチン技術独占を画策? 

     



    March 10, 2022

    Bayer to sell its Environmental Science Professional business to Cinven for 2.6 billion U.S. dollars

    Bayer and Cinven have entered into a definitive agreement regarding the sale of Bayer’s Environmental Science Professional business for a purchase price of 2.6 billion U.S. dollars (2.4 billion euros), Bayer announced on Thursday. “This divestment represents a very attractive purchase price and allows us to focus on our core agricultural business and the successful implementation of our Crop Science Division growth strategy,” said Rodrigo Santos, Member of the Board of Management of Bayer AG and President of the Crop Science Division.

    Environmental Science Professional is a global leader offering environmental solutions to control pests, diseases and weeds in non-agricultural areas such as vector control, professional pest management, vegetation management, forestry, and turf and ornamentals. In 2021, the business had approximately 800 employees supporting operations and sales in more than 100 countries. It is headquartered in Cary, North Carolina, USA. Bayer had announced its decision to divest the business in February 2021.

    “Driven by a shared belief in people and purpose, Cinven will enable the Environmental Science Professional business to advance towards its vision of healthy environments for everyone, everywhere. We are convinced by Cinven’s focus and its commitment to the long-term growth potential for the business and its people,” Santos said. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of this year, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. Its net proceeds are to be used to reduce Bayer’s net financial debt.

    “Bayer’s Environmental Science Professional business is a global leader in a highly attractive and critical industry. We thank Bayer for the trust they have placed in Cinven and plan to build on the strong foundations established by Bayer by significantly investing in it,” said Pontus Pettersson, Partner and Head of Industrial at Cinven. “As a long-established global investment firm, Cinven is well positioned to continue to drive innovation and accelerate growth at Environmental Science Professional, including the delivery of digital and data-enabled solutions, as well as make the business more agile in responding to the unique needs of its markets and customers.”

    BofA Securities acted as financial advisor to Bayer, while Hengeler Mueller acted as legal advisor.

    About Cinven
    Cinven is a leading international private equity firm focused on building world-class global companies. Its funds invest in six key sectors: Business Services, Consumer, Financial Services, Healthcare, Industrials and TMT (Technology, Media and Telecommunications). Cinven has offices in London, New York, Frankfurt, Paris, Milan, Madrid, Guernsey and Luxembourg. Cinven takes a responsible approach towards its portfolio companies, their employees, suppliers, local communities, the environment and society


    November 20, 2023 Reuters

    Bayer ordered to pay $1.56 billion in latest US trial loss over Roundup weedkiller

    A Missouri jury ordered Bayer to pay $1.56 billion to four plaintiffs who claimed the company's Roundup weedkiller caused injuries including cancer, a verdict that could intensify investor pressure on the German drugs and agricultural chemicals company to change its legal strategy.

    The Cole County, Missouri jury found on Friday that Bayer's Monsanto business was liable for claims of negligence, design defects and failing to warn plaintiffs of the potential dangers of using Roundup, according to court documents.

    Valorie Gunther of New York, Jimmy Draeger of Missouri and Daniel Anderson of California were awarded a combined $61.1 million in compensatory damages and $500 million each in punitive damages. Each was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma that they alleged was caused by using Roundup on their family property. Draeger's wife Brenda was awarded $100,000 for the harm she allegedly suffered from her husband's disease.

    The punitive damages could be reduced on appeal as it exceeds U.S. Supreme Court guidance.

    Bayer has said that decades of studies have shown Roundup and its active ingredient, glyphosate, are safe for human use.

    The verdict is the fourth straight loss in court for Bayer, after the company had been found not liable to plaintiffs in nine consecutive trials. Earlier this month, Union Investment, one of Bayer's top 10 shareholders, called on the company to consider trying to engage with plaintiffs to settle more cases.

    Bart Rankin, partner at Forrest Weldon which represented the plaintiffs, said in a statement the victory was the first of many on behalf of thousands of plaintiffs.

    Bayer said in a statement that it has strong arguments to get the recent verdicts overturned on appeal.

    It said in the recent trials that have gone against the company, courts have improperly permitted plaintiffs to misrepresent the European Union's renewal process for glyphosate and the safety assessment by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

    The EU Commission said last week it would renew its approval of glyphosate based on safety assessments of the European Food Agency and European Chemicals Agency after EU member states failed to give a clear opinion on the renewal.

    Around 165,000 claims have been made against the company for personal injuries allegedly caused by Roundup, which Bayer acquired as part of its $63 billion purchase of agrochemical company Monsanto in 2018.

    In 2020, Bayer settled most of the then-pending Roundup cases for up to $10.9 billion. Around 50,000 claims remain pending, according to regulatory filings.