Since FMC completed its acquisition of a portion of DuPont’s crop protection business last year, integrating the two groups has been a high priority.
“It’s been a monumental task to integrate all the people and the processes and things of that nature, but I think it’s gone very smoothly,” said David Wheeler, technical services associate director for DuPont integration, agronomic and product development. “We did a great job planning for that integration at closing, and we’ve hit the ground running. We’ve got all our folks cross trained across the product lines, so we’re all speaking this same language when it comes to the product lines.”
Wheeler said the two groups complement each other well, with each sharing different strengths that contribute to the overall goal of providing solutions to growers. He said DuPont’s presence in coastal markets helps to expand the FMC footprint beyond its traditional areas in the Midwest. He is even more excited about the future of the company and its focus on crop protection.
“I think the most exciting part of it is that discovery and development pipeline and the resources that we have to put into discovery today,” said Wheeler. “That’s something that FMC hasn’t had. We’ve sourced from other discovery pipelines to create our own, but we didn’t have the freedom to operate that we have today. And, just the sheer focus that we have on crop protection is something that’s not seen around the industry anymore today. I think that’s going to give us a competitive advantage in the discovery business, which, in turn, will give us a competitive advantage in the market going forward.”
Listen to Chuck’s interview with David Wheeler here: Interview with David Wheeler, FMC
2018 National Farm Machinery Show Photo Album
