Frankfurt am Main site
Science For A Better Life
Innovation is a central element of our company‘s strategy.
Bayer CropScience AG, a subgroup of Bayer AG, is a
leading crop science company in the areas of crop protec-
tion, seeds, plant biotechnology and non-agricultural pest
control. The company employs 17,800 people in over 120
countries and recorded sales of EUR 5.8 billion in 2007.
Frankfurt-based chemists
are looking for new, effective
compounds.
3
I
nnovation is a central element of the company’s strategy. Bayer
CropScience invests in research and the development of new
products as well as solutions which create sustainable benefit for
customers and consumers.
The challenge today is to protect crops against weeds, pests and
diseases while achieving high yields of top-quality products in a
sustainable and efficient way. Innovative solutions in crop protec-
tion are complemented by the possibilities offered by plant biotech-
nology for improving the quality of agricultural products and deriv-
ing new, high-value products from plant sources.
Bayer CropScience offers a wide range of innovative products
and state-of-the-art technologies based on internationally lead-
ing research. The company is thus making a major contribution to
improving the quality of life in keeping with the philosophy of the
Bayer Group: Science For A Better Life.
Bayer CropScience
Frankfurt am Main site
Aerial view of Industriepark Höchst.
The Industriepark Höchst industrial park, west of Frankfurt,
is one of the major research and production locations of
Bayer CropScience AG. Frankfurt is home to the interna-
tional company’s global competence center for herbicides.
This is where scientists develop innovative products to
control weeds. The on-site production facilities produce a
number of new and established crop protection products
such as Basta® and Puma®.
Their innovative
ideas make
a difference:
research 5
employees in
Frankfurt.
O
ver 800 people work for Bayer CropScience at Industrie-
park Höchst, around 430 of them in Research and
Development. Some 300 are employed in production in two
active ingredient plants, two formulating plants and one ware-
house. A further 70 employees work in administration.
Industriepark Höchst’s tradition dates back over 140 years. And
crop protection activities also have a long tradition in Frankfurt.
Decades ago, Farbwerke Hoechst already produced crop protec-
tion products here, followed by Hoechst AG, AgrEvo and Aventis
CropScience. In 2002, Bayer acquired the agrochemicals business
of Aventis.
Today, Bayer CropScience and about 90 other companies are
based in the industrial park, employing a total of roughly 22,000
people. The site measures about five square kilometers and is split
up into two parts by the River Main. The older, northern part of the
site houses mainly production facilities, while administrative build-
ings and research and development institutes tend to be located
in the southern part.
The Rhine-Main region’s excellent integration into international
logistics networks ensures global market access. The chemical
industry accounts for the second biggest sector in the region and
16 of the world’s 30 major chemical companies maintain sites in
this area.
Chemical research
The development of all crop protection products starts in
the chemistry laboratory. Every year, chemists create tens
of thousands of new compounds. Those showing high
biological activity undergo further rounds of thorough test-
ing and improvement, for which our researchers use state-
of-the-art technologies.
T
he objective of each chemical synthesis is to discover new,
biologically active substances. In the early stages, extensive
“substance libraries” containing small quantities of up to 1,000
different compounds are produced and tested. The targeted
search carried out in this phase is based on decades of experi-
ence with effective molecules and their properties.
If a substance or a group of substances has proven to be effec-
tive in biological tests, the so-called lead structure undergoes
further optimization. The scientists try to further improve the sub-
stances’ properties.
Researchers use state-
of-the-art lab technology
when looking for new active 7
ingredients.
The chemists’ work, however, does not stop when a compound
goes into development, is tested in field trials or is even launched
onto the market. Its optimization is a never-ending process.
The latest laboratory technology is at the chemists’ disposal.
Many of the classic laboratory activities are nowadays carried out
by robots. Parallel synthesis, for example, enables several differ-
ent compounds to be produced at the same time. And chromato-
graphy helps to purify the target compounds.
Biological research
The goal of herbicide researchers is to discover new
active ingredients capable of controlling weeds effectively
without affecting the environment. With this in mind, biolo-
gists working at Bayer CropScience examine every newly
synthesized substance regarding its effects. The scientific
spirit in Frankfurt has produced a rich yield: This is where
herbicides used all over the world and the safener tech-
nology have been developed.
C
hemical and biological research into a new active ingredi-
ent are closely linked. Each chemical improvement of a
substance is followed by biological testing. In the early stages of
research, fully automated screening and analysis methods enable
thousands of chemical compounds to be tested rapidly for activ-
ity in small plant samples.
In biological research,
greenhouse trials are
indispensable. 9
Later on, herbicide candidates have to prove themselves in
greenhouses. At the same time, biologists investigate the mode
of action in weeds and test compounds for possible effects on
other plants, beneficial organisms and the environment. It is not
until all these tests have been concluded successfully that the
most promising herbicide candidates are used in field trials – or
in other words under practical conditions – and undergo further
testing.
Bayer CropScience operates a large number of field stations
throughout the world, one of them in Trebur in the Rhine-Main
region. This is where staff from the Development Department
in Frankfurt carry out extensive trials with new herbicides and
safeners.
Using cameras, researchers
can document plant develop-
ment and the speed with
which the substances the
plants have been treated with
show their effect.
Safeners are substances which accelerate the breakdown of the
active ingredient in crops, ensuring that its action is limited to the
weeds. They are used to protect crops such as cereals, corn and
canola. The safener technology was developed at the Frankfurt
site in the late 1970s. Since then, scientists have been working
continuously to develop new and improved safeners.
Even once a herbicide active ingredient has moved into devel-
opment or has been launched onto the market, biologists con-
tinue their research. At this stage they look for the best way to
formulate a substance and for suitable combinations of active
ingredients in order to provide farmers with optimal solutions. In
addition, these scientists pursue basic research in the field of
molecular biology for example with the aim of identifying new
modes of action in plants.
Production 11
As a production site for herbicides, Frankfurt plays an
important role within Bayer CropScience. Two plants work
round-the-clock in the industrial park to produce active
ingredients. In addition, the site features two formulation
plants, several filling facilities for solid and liquid crop pro-
tection formulations and a modern warehouse.
T
he site is Bayer CropScience’s global competence center for
the formulation, filling and finishing of sulfonylureas. These
products, of which comparatively small quantities suffice to con-
trol weeds, require careful handling; their manufacturing involves
technical expertise and special synthesis, formulation and filling
plants dedicated exclusively to this group of products. Quality
requirements for these products are similar to those of the
pharmaceutical industry.
Active ingredients usually cannot be applied directly to protect
crops. They generally have to be processed to give them the
Production
required physical characteristics or product properties specified
by the customer. Active ingredients therefore have to be mixed
with solvents, emulsifiers or other additives to produce a specific
formulation. The objective is to manufacture products which
withstand transport and storage, are easy to handle for the farmer
and, of course, have the required effect.
Once the products have been formulated, they are filled into their
final packaging and finished for distribution to markets around the
world. Large sample quantities of development products are also
produced for field and greenhouse trials and shipped to Bayer
CropScience sites worldwide.
Production – and with it on-site Research and Development – is
supported by service functions including engineering, procure-
ment and logistics. Bayer CropScience obtains other services,
primarily those relating to security and environmental protection,
from the industrial park operator Infraserv.
The new administrative
building was inaugurated in
spring 2008.
13
A large number of top products to control weeds have been
developed at the Frankfurt site since the 1960s. The list includes
the successful herbicides Puma® (fenoxaprop) and Basta®
(glufosinate ammonium) as well as the sulfonylureas Atlantis®
and Hussar®.
Herbicides manufactured in Frankfurt:
Safety and environmental protection
Handling crop protection products carefully and avoiding
adverse effects on users, the environment and consumers
are primary concerns at Bayer CropScience. The company
sets high standards for the development, production,
transportation, use and disposal of its products.
B
ayer CropScience researchers carry out numerous tests
to establish how active ingredients behave in the plant
and what impact they have on the environment. Crop protection
products will not receive regulatory approval from the authorities
unless they are safe when used correctly.
The development of safe active ingredients is an important
component of the company’s global responsibility for a product
throughout its life cycle. The company’s scientists also work on
optimizing formulations and packaging to ensure the greatest
possible degree of safety during transportation and application.
Plant safety is one of the basic
principles of Responsible Care.
15
Crop protection products are manufactured and stored at the
Frankfurt site in compliance with the principles of Responsible
Care. This global initiative of the chemical industry seeks to
achieve continuous improvement in the areas of safety, health
and environmental protection. In practical terms, Bayer Crop-
Science uses production processes that reduce the burden on
the environment by lowering energy and water consumption as
well as emissions. The shipping warehouse, for instance, is sur-
rounded by an enormous basin collecting all forms of water: gray
water, splash water and rain. This water is processed and exam-
ined for contaminants before being used again.
The entire site is monitored regularly by the company’s own ex-
perts and the relevant authorities. The checks focus on the safety
of facilities and processes as well as the protection of employees’
health. All employees involved in production participate in safety
trainings every year.
Meeting point Frankfurt
The Frankfurt site is ideally situated for Bayer CropScience.
Not just because of the outstanding transport infrastruc-
ture; equally important for the company is the proximity
to universities and to the scientific and cultural establish-
ments in the Rhine-Main region. The city on the Main also
offers a unique blend of architecturally outstanding build-
ings in historic and modern settings, providing a fitting
backdrop for a variety of events.
B
ayer CropScience organizes scientific symposia bringing
together international guests from inside and outside the
company at the Frankfurt site. Highlights in recent years include
lecture series on herbicide research featuring high-caliber
experts, the Science Forum 2006, participation in a research-
oriented students’ symposium organized by the European
Schools, and open-house events at Industriepark Höchst attract-
ing more than 25,000 visitors.
Bayer CropScience
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at Industriepark Höchst
More information about the Industriepark Höchst:
www.industriepark-hoechst.com oder www.ihr-nachbar.de
Accident 069 305-2626 Fire 069 305-2700
Traffic Accident 069 305-7174 Lost and found 069 305-24780
Your way to Bayer CropScience
at Industriepark Höchst
By Car:
From Cologne/Bonn/Wiesbaden: At the Wiesbadener Kreuz
motorway interchange take the A 66 for Frankfurt. At the Kriftel
interchange follow the signs for “Industriepark Höchst”, then
leave at the Sindlingen exit, heading for the West Gate (Tor West).
From the West Gate follow “Hoechster Farbenstraße” street,
which leads along the perimeter of the site to the East Gate.
The route to the South Gate (Tor Süd) and on to Gate K 801 is
signposted.
From Karlsruhe: At the Frankfurter Kreuz motorway interchange
take the Airport exit, then follow the B 43. From here follow the
signs for “Industriepark Höchst” to the South Gate (Tor Süd) and
on to Gate K 801.
Wichtige Ansprechpartner 19
From Hanover/Kassel: At the Frankfurt Nordwestkreuz motor-
way interchange take the A 66 for Wiesbaden, leaving at the
Frankfurt-Höchst exit. Follow the signs for “Industriepark Höchst”
to the East Gate (Tor Ost).
From Munich/Würzburg: Just before the Frankfurter Kreuz
motorway interchange take the Airport exit, then B 43. From here
follow the signs for “Industriepark Höchst” to the South Gate (Tor
Süd) and on to Gate K801.
From Mannheim/Basel: At the Mönchhof motorway interchange
follow the signs for the Frankfurter Kreuz interchange. Leave at
the next exit for the Airport/Cargo Center, then take the B 43. At
the Frankfurt Höchst/Kelsterbach exit follow the signs for Kelster-
bach. From here follow the signs for “Industriepark Höchst” to the
South Gate (Tor Süd) and on to Gate K 801.
By Plane/Train:
From Rhein-Main Airport/Fernbahnhof to Bayer CropScience by
Taxi (approx. 10 minutes drive) to Industriepark Höchst South Gate/
Gate K 801
Bayer CropScience AG
Industriepark Höchst
D-65926 Frankfurt am Main
www.bayercropscience.com
E-Mail: info@bayercropscience.com
Published by:
Bayer CropScience AG
Corporate Communications