Certis Europe and Spiess Urania to distribute Monsanto’s Latitude products

For Mitsui the agreement offers great opportunities to expand its range of cereal seed treatment products both in and outside Europe. Certis Europe and Spiess Urania will immediately take over the sales and marketing in all countries where Latitude products are sold, so that customers will have seamless access to the products. They will continue to offer existing brands and products in the sector.
 

Latitude products are a significant strategic addition to the Certis portfolio providing the opportunity to extend the territory where the company operates in seed treatment markets. To date activity has centred mainly on France, and Latitude products will provide wider access, especially into the other two largest markets, UK and Germany, as well as other countries. It also complements the existing portfolio: Latitude products will partner well with Certis products to create combined offers providing broader market access and improved solutions.
 

Seed treatment products have been part of the Certis distribution portfolio for more than 15 years and in 2006, it acquired a global licence from Janssen for imazalil, which is also used for seed treatment, and has since maintained its registration and expanded sales. More recently Mitsui has invested in a seed treatment formulation research centre at the Japan Agro Services facility in France. In reaching this agreement with Monsanto, Mitsui has made a significant further investment in its seed treatment portfolio, strengthening its position in this sector. This important acquisition will provide a platform on which the Certis seed treatment portfolio can be built through future product licensing and innovation and development, including new chemistry from Japan-based R&D companies.