BASF reveals $14 million transformation to Regina crop protection production facility

Date:11-19-2020

BASF Canada Agricultural Solutions (BASF) Wednesday unveiled its modernized formulation, packaging and distribution facility in Regina, Saskatchewan. More than $14 million was invested in facility transformations, making it the division’s single biggest agriculture infrastructure investment in the last decade. Located in the heart of Canada’s agriculture industry, the Regina facility will produce over half of BASF Canada’s crop protection products, helping ensure farmers across the country and the northern United States have access to the products they need, when they need them.  

“For decades, farmers have relied on our portfolio of solutions to help them overcome agronomic challenges on their fields,” said Jonathan Sweat, Vice President, Business Management, BASF Canada Agricultural Solutions. “Situated in Western Canada, the transformed facility will further support our customers and enable us to produce more than 30 million litres of agricultural solutions annually. This significant investment highlights our ongoing commitment to innovation, ensuring we can continue to provide farmers with the solutions they need to succeed today, while setting ourselves up to produce, at our Regina site, the solutions they will need for continued success tomorrow.”

Major enhancements to BASF’s Regina facility include upgrades to mechanical operations, automation systems, quality control and safety protocols and performance. The transformation also supports greater segregation among products, further safeguarding against cross-contamination and upholding BASF’s commitment to quality control.

Additional upgrades to the Regina production facility include:

- A new control room that serves as the heart of the entire plant, providing real-time information on every valve and tank.

- A 300,000-litre stainless steel tank for the storage of raw materials, increasing the facility’s total storage capacity to 2.8 million litres.

- Expanded analytical capability in the lab to meet production requirements, allowing BASF to test, approve and record all products for quality assurance.

- Increased ventilation, dust containment and high-speed shutter doors in the formulation area, contributing to a safe worksite for employees.

These significant improvements will allow BASF to produce high-quality products more efficiently, while supporting future production of new solutions. Viper^® ADV, one of the most important herbicides for field pea farmers, is among the first solutions to be produced at the facility this fall and will now be 100 per cent produced domestically at the Regina facility. Offering broad-spectrum weed control and multiple modes of action, Viper provides farmers with reliable and consistent weed control in field peas, further supporting Canada’s pulse industry as the global demand for pulse crops continues to rise.

“The transformation of our Regina facility is not only a milestone for our company, but also for our customers and the community at large,” said Sweat. “The upgrades allow us to efficiently deliver product to our retailers, in many cases within a 24-hour period, to help ensure we are responding to farmers’ requirements and are able to get them the products they need, when they need them most. We are incredibly proud of our team’s hard work and dedication throughout the two-year upgrade process, and we’re excited for the future as we continue to provide farmers with the innovative solutions they need to get the most out of every acre.”

Construction at the Regina facility began December 2019 and was officially completed in October 2020. One hundred per cent of the facility updates were completed by Saskatchewan-based contractors, further supporting the local economy. During peak production period – which generally runs from fall to early spring – the facility will employ approximately 130 people, ensuring farmers are fully supported at the onset of each growing season.