PI Industries Limited (PI) has announced to acquire Plant Health Care Plc (PHC), an AIM UK-listed company with subsidiaries in the US, Brazil, Mexico and a few other countries. The acquisition is proposed to be done through a wholly-owned international subsidiary of PI. The offered purchase consideration of ~£ 32.8 million is proposed to be paid in cash and funded from the earlier Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP) proceeds.

PHC’s acquisition aligns with PI’s long-term strategic objective to build a differentiated portfolio of integrated solutions for sustainable agriculture. PI's growth in biologicals has been consistent with a portfolio of 8 products and many more in the development and registration pipeline. Revenue from biological products increased by ~29% in FY24.

With PHC, PI will gain access to cutting-edge biological/peptide technology platforms in the “Plant Immunity Inducers” space. Combining these with other available complementary technologies and an innovative pipeline of chemical products, PI will have a “double engine” to create a portfolio of innovative products that will feed into the well-oiled sales engines in India and key international markets.

PHC has industry-leading knowledge, products, IP and experience in protein/ peptide technology in the agriculture biological space. PHC technology has gained good traction over the last few years with the registration and commercialisation of its patented PREtec peptide products.

In addition to a strong R&D base in the US, PHC products have good acceptance with growers in key markets, e.g. the US, Brazil, Europe, and Mexico. PHC had consolidated revenue of ~US$ 11 million with a gross margin of 60% for the year ended 31st December 2023.

Commenting on this development, Mayank Singhal, Vice Chairman & Managing Director of PI Industries Ltd. said: “We are very pleased to join forces with Plant Health Care, whose technology solutions perfectly align with our purpose of reimagining a healthier planet and offering sustainable solutions for the future of agriculture. This investment underscores our confidence in their technology platform and by joining forces, we can amplify our collective impact and bring groundbreaking solutions to farmers worldwide.”

Rajnish Sarna, Joint Managing Director of PI Industries Ltd. added, “Acquisition of Plant Health Care is a strategic move to expand our portfolio in the agri-tech sector. We believe synergies between our organisations will unlock long-term value and accelerate growth. Together, we will drive significant advancements in sustainable agriculture.”

Growers worldwide increasingly prefer integrated agri-input solutions. Biologicals are growing at a CAGR of 13% to reach US$18 billion by 2028, with US and LATAM accounting for 52% of the global market.

Consummation of the proposed Acquisition is subject to the Scheme becoming effective through a UK court process, which, among other things, requires approval by a majority of shareholders holding not less than 75% of the shares. This is expected to be completed by Q2 FY25.