Belchim Crop Protection buys back shares from FMC Chemicals

Belchim Crop Protection NV and Belchim Management recently announced the acquisition of 20 percent of the shares in Belchim Crop Protection NV that were previously held by FMC Chemicals.

Another 10 percent of the shares will come back to Belchim by the end of the company's fiscal year.

The transaction agreement between Belchim Management and FMC was entered into in December 2014 after FMC’s acquisition of Cheminova.

With the closing of these transactions, Belchim Management, the Belgian holding company owned by Dirk Putteman, founder of Belchim Crop Protection NV, will control 75 percent of the shares. The other 25 percent of the shares are owned by ISK Biosciences Europe NV.

In a small number of countries, Belchim Management will retain the distribution rights of some FMC products that are currently distributed by Belchim. Additionally, both companies have put in place supply agreements for FMC compounds being used in various Belchim products.

Belchim saw a 25 percent sales increase in 2014, and a turnover of close to $4.55 million is anticipated in 2015.