HBI acquires the Syngenta Coon Rapids, Iowa, seed production and supply facility

Syngenta recently announced that Hartung Brothers, Inc. (HBI) has agreed to acquire the Syngenta Coon Rapids, Iowa, seed production and supply facility, subject to completion of certain pre-closing activities as defined in the purchase agreement. HBI is a family-owned and -operated agribusiness and produces seed corn for Syngenta on a contract basis.

During February, Syngenta announced it would no longer operate its Coon Rapids site, effective the end of December, as part of a long-range effort to serve its growing North American commercial corn and soybean business through changes in its facilities mix. Earlier this fall, Syngenta selected an offer from Hartung Brothers, Inc. to begin negotiations for purchase of the Coon Rapids location. The sale is expected to close by the end of December 2013, and HBI has indicated its intent to operate the facility for the benefit of its customers. Syngenta and HBI have a long-standing working relationship in the seed business, and this acquisition provides benefits to the seed industry as a whole.

“We see this as a positive outcome, as HBI intends to operate this facility as a seed production plant,” said Clayton Osburn, head of Corn Production Operations for Syngenta in North America. “This means that Coon Rapids will preserve an important, longtime business. The production facility team there has performed at a high level with valuable knowledge, skills and experience.”

HBI is based in Madison, Wis., with locations in Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, Texas and Ontario, Canada. “We are pleased to expand our seed operations into Iowa through the acquisition of this facility,” said Dan Hartung, President of HBI. “The Coon Rapids Team has a wealth of knowledge and we look forward to adding many of them to our team. This site now establishes a western production area that we currently cannot offer our customers.”