Bayer completes sale to Cinven

Bayer has completed its sale of its Environmental Science Professional business to the international private equity firm Cinven. The two companies had entered into a corresponding agreement in March.

The conditions for the transaction — including the receipt of regulatory approval — have now been met. The purchase price for the business amounts to about $2.6 billion.

“We thank the employees of Environmental Science Professional for their many years of commitment and the associated success of Bayer. In Cinven, we have found a strong new owner with a firm commitment to the long-term growth potential of the business and to its people,” said Rodrigo Santos, member of the Board of Management of Bayer AG and head of the Crop Science Division. “At the same time, we can concentrate on our core agricultural business and the successful implementation of our growth strategy in the Crop Science Division.”

Bayer will use the net proceeds from the transaction to reduce its net financial debt.

The divested business is set to operate as an independent company called Envu. The business is a global leader offering solutions to control pests, disease and weeds in non-agricultural areas such as vector control, professional pest management, vegetation management, forestry, and turf and ornamentals. It is headquartered in Cary, N.C., and is active in over 100 countries. Nearly 900 employees in total will transfer from Bayer to Envu.

“Envu is a global leader in a highly attractive and critical industry. We thank Bayer for the trust they have placed in Cinven and plan to build on the strong foundations established by Bayer by significantly investing in it,” said Pontus Pettersson, partner at Cinven. “Cinven is excited to build an independent, focused company and is well positioned to continue to drive innovation and accelerate growth, including the delivery of digital and data-enabled solutions, and to extend the product portfolio further by creating innovative and sustainable solutions for its customers.”