Nihon Nohyaku acting to strengthen its agrochemical business’ overseas operations

Pesticide manufacturer Nihon Nohyaku is poised to step up its overseas business by positioning new marketing personnel in either Chile or Argentina this year, after having done so in Brazil this June, increasing its North American staff for the handling of crop protection products by 10%, and upgrading the status of its Shanghai representative office to that of a subsidiary during January-March 2012.

The Tokyo-based company will accelerate its cultivation of Latin American markets, with Mexico, Colombia and Brazil identified as key launching pads in Central and South America, and envisages eventually transferring supervision functions for the region to its US subsidiary Nichino America to better cater to local customer needs.

Among the main products of Nichino America, based in Delaware, are the group’s Applaud insecticide (active ingredient: buprofezin) and Moncoat fungicide (active ingredients: flutolanil + mancozeb) used in grape cultivation in California and peanut cultivation in Georgia, and it plans to sell new mixed formulations. Its increased workforce will enhance its ability to market the group’s products, particularly in niche areas, and disseminate the group’s technologies. The Shanghai base will be better able to publicize the group’s technologies as a subsidiary.

Nihon Nohyaku had announced a reorganization of its business and escalation of its overseas operations, centering on the Americas, Europe and Asia.