American Vanguard Corporation and BASF Aktiengesellschaft, Ludwigshafen, Germany, today announced that BASF sold the global Phorate insecticide product line to AMVAC Chemical Corporation, a subsidiay of American Vanguard.

American Vanguard Corporation and BASF Aktiengesellschaft, Ludwigshafen, Germany, today announced that BASF sold the global Phorate insecticide product line to AMVAC Chemical Corporation, a subsidiay of American Vanguard. The product line consists of the active ingredient Phorate, the trademarks Thimet[R], Granutox[R] and Geomet[R], the manufacturing and formulation know-how, registration rights, intellectual property rights and inventories as well as an exclusive license to use BASF's patented, closed delivery systen, Lock 'N Load[R], in the U.S., Canada and Australia for Phorate.

Phorate, which generated sales of approximately $14 million in 2004, was first introduced in 1954. It is registered in more than 15 countries, with the main markets in Asia Pacific and the Americas. It is used on agricultural crops, mainly potatoes, corn, cotton, rice and sugarcane, to protect against chewing and piercing-sucking insects.