Flufenacet. Bayer Corp. new $45 million facility at Kansas City headquarters to manufacture flufenacet, the active ingredient in Axiom, Axiom¨ AT, Domain and Epic DF Herbicides. Press Release, March 15, 2000.

FLUORIDE ACTION NETWORK PESTICIDE PROJECT

Flufenacet. Bayer's new $45 million facility at Kansas City headquarters to manufacture flufenacet, the active ingredient in Axiom, Axiom¨ AT, Domainª and Epicª DF Herbicides.
Bayer press release, March 15, 2000.

BAYER CORPORATION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 15, 2000

CONTACT:
Beth Woerner
Valentine Radford
(816) 843-1224

Bayer Corporation Dedicates
State-of-the-Art Herbicide Formulation Plant

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Bayer Corporation, as part of its ongoing commitment to corn and soybean growers, has opened a $30 million herbicide formulation plant at its Kansas City headquarters.

The plant, which began production in January, can produce 50,000 pounds of dry flowable (DF) herbicides per day. DFs are easy to handle and help reduce liability concerns for growers and dealers.

"We bring in raw materials from Bayer locations and other suppliers around the world and produce the final product here," plant manager John Rogers explains. "When we seal a case in this plant, it isn't opened again until the farmer sees it."

This helps ensure that the highest quality product possible reaches dealers and growers, he adds.

The new plant, which took 14 months to construct, is one of the most technologically advanced plants in the world.

"This is the first plant of its type to use totally computer-controlled integrated manufacturing," Rogers says. "For example, my boss can continually monitor such things as rates and quality right from his office. We also are using concepts such as just-in-time raw material delivery and shipping to improve efficiency."

Improved efficiency also benefits growers and dealers, says Dr. Don Simonet, vice president of marketing for Bayer.

"At a time of much uncertainty in agriculture, dealers and growers can count on Bayer to be a reliable supplier of effective, cost-competitive herbicides," he says. "We have introduced four new herbicides in the past few years, and more innovative products are in the pipeline."

Twenty-one operators, four supervisors and an engineer are assigned to the plant. "The plant will operate year-round to support worldwide markets for Bayer DF products," Rogers says.

The new plant reflects an ongoing commitment by Bayer to Midwest growers and its Kansas City base. The plant is conveniently located to serve growers, dealers and distributors across the Corn Belt.

"This helps reduce transportation costs, and we can pass the savings on to our customers," Simonet says.

"Before we built this plant, we didn't have the capacity to produce all of our own Axiom¨ DF Herbicide," Rogers says. "Now, we are able to bring that production back to Kansas City. We also are supporting local businesses by purchasing all of our packaging materials and pallets locally."

The plant opening caps a nearly $75 million investment in herbicide manufacturing. Bayer opened a $45 million facility to manufacture flufenacet, the active ingredient in Axiom, Axiom¨ AT, Domainª and Epicª DF Herbicides.

Bayer Corporation is a research-based company with major businesses in health care and life sciences and chemicals. The company had 1998 sales of $8.1 billion and employs more than 23,000 people. Bayer Corporation is investing $15 billion in capital expenditures and research and development from 1995 through the year 2004. 1999 capital investment and R&D expenditures are projected to total $1.6 billion. Bayer Corporation, with headquarters in Pittsburgh, is a member of the worldwide Bayer Group, a $31 billion chemicals and health care group based in Leverkusen, Germany.

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AXIOM AT AND EPIC ARE RESTRICTED USE PESTICIDES.