Redag Crop Protection sows the seeds of growth

Pioneering agrochemicals company Redag Crop Protection has more than doubled the size of its team based at Alderley Park, Cheshire after a successful fundraising earlier this year.

Redag, which sees major growth opportunities in the sector, is expecting to complete the line-up of its senior team this summer.

"We don’t know of any other businesses doing what we do in crop protection"

The addition of a general manager and Head of Biology and the recruitment of a non-executive director are progressing.

Located within the Biohub at the region’s largest science and innovation campus, Redag’s chief executive Bill Thompson says there was strong demand from scientists based across Europe looking to join the business. More than 50 people applied for the posts advertised.

Thompson said: "We believe Redag is unique in the agrochemicals sector — there are lots of nimble, innovative bio-medical companies of our size, but we don’t know of any other businesses doing what we do in crop protection."

Thompson added: "We have some good momentum in terms of the pipeline and are eagerly looking forward to the remainder of 2016."

"There is significant need for new product innovation in the agrochemicals sector amid changing food requirements and a stringent regulatory environment."

He added: "It has been very pleasing to see the chemistry team come together under Dr Chris Urch, our head of chemistry. We had more than 50 applications for seven jobs and all our new recruits hold PhDs."

"Out of our total team of 12, seven are from the UK and five from European countries. We’ve recruited from as far afield as Germany and Spain and I believe our presence here at this superb facility for science research has been a real lure for us."

Meanwhile Dr Andy Jones, an experienced executive in the agrochemicals sector, has joined the business an adviser. Jones’ career includes senior roles with Astra Zeneca’s crop protection business and consultants CapGemini Ernst & Young in their life sciences practice.