BASF forms partnerships to introduce nutritional solutions that help enhance poultry vitality in South Asia

• BASF and Vital Therapeutics to bring choline chloride powder formulations and technical expertise to Indian feed industry
• New product, “Vitachol”, is a valuable product to help enhance growth rate and vitality of animals
• Partnership with Avitech Nutrition extends organically-bound trace elements offering to animal feed manufacturers
• BASF at Poultry India Expo: Hall 5, Booth Y1 – Y6, from November 22 - 24

Mumbai, India – November 16, 2017 – BASF, one of the leading companies in the animal nutrition industry, and Vital Therapeutics Pvt. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of vitamin premixes and veterinary formulations in India, have entered a strategic partnership to bring a new choline chloride product to the feed industry in India and the rest of South Asia. The two companies will provide a range of choline chloride powder formulations to address specific market needs. Vital Therapeutics will launch the new choline chloride products at Poultry India Expo, held from November 22 to 24, in Hyderabad, India.

A sufficient supply of choline, important for building lecithin, acetylcholine and ceramides, contributes to a vital and productive flock. Animals can produce certain amounts of choline themselves, but it does not suffice to meet their own demand. Therefore, it is beneficial to add choline to feed. The new choline chloride powder feed supplement comes in two formulations: a 60% corn cob-based formulation for application in poultry and dairy; and a 50% silica-based formulation for aquaculture. The new products will be marketed as “Vitachol 50” and “Vitachol 60” by Vital Therapeutics, and co-branded with BASF.

“This strategic alliance is the beginning of a new level of cooperation between BASF and Vital Therapeutics”, said Venugopal Setty, Managing Director, Vital Therapeutics Pvt. Ltd. “This partnership between BASF and Vital Therapeutics has opened up a new market segment for choline chloride powder formulations, while offering the premium product to our customers at competitive price levels to meet their expectations”, he added.

Extension of product offering to Indian market - premix that contains high-quality glycinates by BASF

BASF has also entered into a Distribution Agreement with Avitech Nutrition Pvt. Ltd., a leader in the field of animal nutrition in India, with expertise in feed additives, especially vitamin and mineral premixes, to extend its organically-bound trace elements (glycinates) product offering to feed producers in South Asia.

Trace elements are essential micronutrients required by all animal species. An insufficient supply of trace elements leads to major health and performance-related impairments, for example: reduced feed intake and growth performance, impaired immune function and fertility.

Under the collaboration, glycinate-premixes manufactured by Avitech, will contain high-quality of organically-bound trace elements (Copper-glycinate, Manganese-glycinate, Iron-glycinate and Zinc-glycinate) from BASF. The new product will be marketed by Avitech and co-branded with BASF.

“Avitech is pleased to represent BASF for its line of organically-bound trace elements (glycinates). As a leader in the area of minerals, our inorganic minerals are employed in over six million tons of feed annually. Our local reach, coupled with BASF’s global technology, represent a product offering that meets the market need for superior organic minerals,” remarked Rahul Kapur, Managing Director, Avitech Nutrition Pvt. Ltd, “We are excited by the partnership and its potential.”

“For BASF to be successful in a market, it is important for us to focus on our own strengths and team up with carefully selected partners to complete our offering. With the superior customer contact, market presence and reach of Vital Therapeutics and Avitech Nutrition, BASF will now have the possibility to offer our high-quality products throughout the Indian market,” said Stephen Crisp, Regional Head, BASF Animal Nutrition Asia Pacific.

BASF’s new phytase, Natuphos® E, unlocks vital nutrients for the global feed industry

As the first company to offer a phytase for the global feed market more than 25 years ago, BASF had set a new standard in feed phytase technology with the launch of Natuphos E in 2016. With unprecedented enzyme stability, Natuphos E helps poultry utilize phosphorous and other key nutrients more efficiently, ensuring more productive and sustainable output for the animal feed industry and local farmers.

In addition to glycinates, vitamins and enzymes, BASF will be showcasing its comprehensive portfolio of products including organic acids and carotenoids at its booth Y1 – Y6 in hall 5 at India Poultry Expo in Hyderabad, from November 22 – 24, 2017.

About BASF’s Nutrition & Health division
BASF Nutrition & Health provides a comprehensive product and service portfolio for the human and animal nutrition, pharmaceutical and flavor & fragrance industries. With innovative solutions and modern technologies, we help our customers improve their business efficiency and the sustainability of their products. Our human nutrition solutions include vitamins and carotenoids, plant sterols, emulsifiers and omega-3 fatty acids. Vitamins and carotenoids also form an important part of our animal nutrition portfolio, as do other feed additives like trace elements, enzymes and organic acids. We provide the pharmaceutical industry with a broad range of excipients and selected large-volume active pharmaceutical ingredients such as ibuprofen and omega-3 fatty acids. Furthermore, we offer aroma ingredients such as citral, geraniol and L-menthol. BASF Nutrition & Health operates sites in Europe, North America, South America and in Asia-Pacific. For more information, go to www.basf.com.

About BASF in India
BASF has successfully partnered India’s progress for more than 125 years, with all global businesses maintaining a presence in India today, except for Oil & Gas. At the end of 2016, BASF in India had 2,356 employees at ten production sites & ten offices, as well as two R&D centers, located in Mumbai and Mangalore. In 2016, BASF registered sales of approximately €1.1 billion to customers in India. Further information is available on the Internet at www.basf.com/in.

About BASF
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. The approximately 114,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into five segments: Chemicals, Performance Products, Functional Materials & Solutions, Agricultural Solutions and Oil & Gas. BASF generated sales of about €58 billion in 2016. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (BAS). Further information at www.basf.com.