Page 157 - CW E-Magazine (8-7-2025)

News from Abroad

CHALLENGING CONDITIONS

Bayer’s crop science division closing New Zealand

research facility

Bayer Crop Science has decided to delivers the greatest impact to farmers
close its research facility in Hastings, around the world. As a result, Bayer
New Zealand, faced with “increasing will adjust our research and develop-
costs, generic pressure and regulatory ment footprint locally, making the diffi-
uncertainty”. The closure of the faci- cult decision to exit our field research
lity – where roughly 20 trials were station in Hastings and, at this point in
conducted annually – will see two full new crop protection products approved time, discontinue work on new crop
time jobs lost. for use, and have warned the processes protection projects in New Zealand,”
make New Zealand a less viable market the company was quoted as saying in
Reacting to the development, the for research and development of new news reports. Bayer said it will retain
country’s body representing agrichemical products. a commercial presence in the country
firms, Animal and Health New Zea- focused on current registered products
land, said the “big four” multinational “Bayer Crop Science has undertaken and products currently under assess-
companies operating in New Zealand – a global strategic review of our crop ment by regulatory authorities, includ-
German-headquartered Bayer, Syn- protection research and development ing label extensions and active ingre-
genta and BASF and US-based Corteva activity to ensure we can remain glob- dients that are new to New Zealand,
Agriscience – have concerns about the ally competitive and continue to invest which will be delivered to farmers over
time, cost and complexity of getting in ground-breaking innovation that the next three to five years.
PARTNERSHIP

Brenntag joins Canada’s Seneca Polytechnic

to investigate D5 silicone alternatives

Brenntag, the German chemicals Director Personal Care Americas at
and ingredients distributor, has part- Brenntag Specialties, commented,
nered with Canada’s Seneca Poly- “This fundamental research project
technic for a research and application will support the growth of our cus-
project, to evaluate and identify D5 tomer base by offering safe and sus-
silicone alternatives following the tainable alternatives to D5 silicone,
expected European Union ban on D5 supporting their compliance needs in
silicone additives use in personal care key end applications like antiperspi-
products as of June 2027. rant and hair conditioners. Customers
will benefit from valuable formula-
The project is supported by an tion support to guide them on diffe-
‘Applied Research and Develop- rent offset options based on their end
ment’ grant from the Natural Sciences applications.”
and Engineering Research Council ties of various D5 alternatives in key
of Canada. applications, with a goal to identify “Market forces drive innovation, and
how different options work across these this project provides Seneca Polytechnic
Replacement of D5 silicone poses applications, resulting in a responsive students with an opportunity to partici-
a significant challenge to formulators guide and alternative roadmap for pate in innovative research and expo-
due to its unique properties in end-con- customers. sure to the needs of industry in adapting
sumer applications. The project aims to to market changes,” said Ben Rogers,
evaluate the physicochemical proper- Ms. Maia Navarrete, Senior Dean of Research, Seneca Polytechnic.

Chemical Weekly July 8, 2025 157

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