Biorational Research and Development Base in the U.S. Starts Operation

Jul. 25, 2018

Valent BioSciences LLC, a group company of Sumitomo Chemical, has started the operation of its Biorational Research Center ("BRC") after relocation of the company’s R&D unit, as announced earlier, to a newly-constructed facility adjacent to Valent Biosciences’ headquarters in the US state of Illinois.

Valent BioSciences, a leading company in the field of biorationals^*, such as microbial pesticides and plant growth regulators, operates in over 90 countries around the world. As a biorational R&D hub within Sumitomo Chemical’s Health & Crop Sciences Research Laboratory ("HCRL" ), the BRC engages in a broad range of activities covering from basic research to applied research. The relocation of the R&D operations next to Valent BioSciences’ headquarters will enable the company to further integrate its marketing and sales activities with the R&D functions, thereby making the company's R&D capabilities even stronger.

In recent years, Sumitomo Chemical has brought into operation a number of its research units in the world, namely, the Latin America Research Center in Brazil in November, 2016, the Midwest Agricultural Research Center, near Champaign, Illinois, Valent U.S.A. LLC’s second field testing station in the U.S., in July, 2017, and the Company‘s Chemistry Research Center, newly built in HCRL in Takarazuka, Hyogo, Japan in June, 2018. Through continued strengthening of these global R&D bases, Sumitomo Chemical will work vigorously to generate innovation and contribute to resolving various challenges of our mutual concern, such as food supplies, health and sanitation, and the environment.

• The Sumitomo Chemical Group defines "biorationals" as crop protection products and solutions, derived from natural sources, such as microbial pesticides that protect crops from pests, and plant growth regulators and biorational rhizosphere that improve crop quality and yield.

Overview of VBC

Company name	Valent BioSciences LLC
Location	Libertyville, Illinois, USA
Established	January, 2000
President	Andrew Lee
Business	Research, development, production and sale of biorationals

Overview of the Biorational Research Center

Name	Biorational Research Center
Location	Libertyville, Illinois, USA
Scale	Approximately 5,600m2

Contact

Corporate Communications Dept.
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TEL: +81-3-5543-5102 FAX: +81-3-5543-5901