Bayer Crop Science sign and plant. Photo: Denise Bradley Copy: Adam Aitkin For: EDP Business Archant Norfolk pics © 2006 (01603) 772434

Norwich-based Bayer CropScience is to invest nearly £10m in new facilities as the under sale company gets set to stand on its own two feet.

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The firm’s German owners are in the process of selling the firm to an as yet unamed buyer, with hopes high the sale will be completed by August.

But the deal means that the facility, which has 260 employees and 50 contractors, with a £35m a year turnover, will have to bid for other contracts beyond those it currently has with Bayer to produce herbicides.

So in the meantime to aid the transition, Bayer has agreed to invest £5.5m on two major projects at the Sweet Briar Road site, including about £4.5m on a new waste water facility and about £1m on new computer control equipment in its multi-product plant. The second half of the year will see a further £4m spent on 40 smaller scale projects.

Site manager Tim Green said both major projects were due for completion in early 2013 and the aim was to help get the facility fit to bid for new lines of work. This could include agri-chemicals and pharmacuetical products, while the possibility of creating a hub for start-up science businesses on the site to help them grow is also being looked at.

“We have worked hard on this site to maintain the highest standards in all areas of the business and this has resulted in continued investment which is great news,” Mr Green said.

“The projects are both significant and will ensure that our facilities are the best they can be, going over and above what is required in our business.

“About £1m is being invested in a new control room for our multi-product plant which produces herbicide intermediates. A state-of-the-art control system will replace the current ageing system which has been in place for a number of years.

“Work has already started on this project.

“An additional £4.5m has been approved for the additional treatment of our plant waste water.

“As part of the site’s ongoing improvement plan the new facility will further improve the site’s waste water discharge to the Whitlingham sewage treatment works. Planning permission was received just before Christmas and construction work has commenced.

“The advantage this gives us is that we will be able to treat more things in the future and there will be a chance to bring in a wider range of products,” Mr Green said.

“In future the site will be looking for business from other chemical companies and not just within the Bayer Group,” he added.

“Bayer will still remain the major customer, but now we will not be restricted to business within that group, and we will now be able to look anywhere.

“We’re interested in exploring the idea of providing industrial services to companies that need to grow.

“What this shows is that Bayer is looking at this as a long term partnership.”

shaun.lowthorpe@archant.co.uk