Cook County EDC | BASF-Sparks may have major expansion

BASF-Sparks may have major expansion

BASF is considering a major for the crop protection industry’s facilities near Sparks, said Tom Mistretta, site director.

BASF Sparks may be the production site for a new granular fungicide that would require a new line to be built, Mistretta said. “I believe it will be a blockbuster type of product to be introduced into the market; it would cause expansion of the plant.”

Also, BASF Sparks could become the site for production of a new liquid fungicide, Mistretta said. “That would result in a significant expansion for our plant, to provide the product for the North American and global markets out of Sparks, Ga.”

Overall the agricultural product market is down now due to such factors as weather patterns and lower fossil fuel costs (less corn is being grown for ethanol and that results in less demand for crop protection products for the fields), he said. “Production of these fungicides would sustain our workforce numbers and allow these facilities to continue to grow in the future.”

Additionally, BASF may update some packaging lines locally to be higher speed and more productive, Mistretta said.

BASF Sparks currently employs about 200 people, including regular and contract employees.

This year, BASF has spent about $14 million for facility improvements. That shows the company’s strong commitment to the local facilities in the long term, Mistretta said.

The company’s plants, under the previous company Micro Flo, first started production on Highway 41 North near Sparks in 1984. The local facilities consist of four plants. BASF produces granular and liquid fungicides and insecticides used in the agricultural industry. BASF Sparks’ products are shipped all over the world, as far away as Europe and Asia, beginning with BASF’s distribution center in Tifton.

The Sparks site and its employees are committed to building partnerships with community residents and local organizations to help strengthen the community. The site participates in and contributes to a wide range of community programs, including:

• Member of the Adel-Cook County Chamber of Commerce.

• Community educational programs.

• American Cancer Society.

• Scholarship awards through the Cook County Educational Foundation for local high school graduates who are pursuing degrees at college.

• Cook County Council for the Arts.

BASF Sparks has helped support sports in the schools, local fire and emergency responders, and science education at the middle school. “We are also looking to expand our relationship with Wiregrass Georgia Technical College in helping educate and train our employees,” Mistretta said.