DES MOINES, Iowa, Oct. 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Origin (Origin
Agritech Ltd., NASDAQ: SEED), a germplasm and biotechnology-focused
crop seed provider, has announced the establishment of its North
American operations in Des Moines,
Iowa effective August 29,
2016. The North America
operations and international relations center will be located at
666 Walnut Street in downtown Des
Moines.
This move represents a key step in a series of strategic actions
to position Origin as a leading global foundation biotech and seed
development company. Over the past six months, the company has also
expanded partnerships on biotech traits globally and established a
new leadership team.
"Des Moines is an ideal
location for Origin's North American operations, providing superior
access to talent, technologies and proximity to our key target
markets," said Bill Niebur, Origin
CEO. "Iowa is positioned in the
center of agricultural innovation, which will allow Origin to
attract and retain great talent, while working collaboratively
with, and in close proximity to, our strategic partners."
Origin's CEO Bill Niebur, CFO
Shashank Aurora and team members
will office at the Des Moines
location.
Key biotech and seed breeding operations will continue to be
based in China, including the
plant breeding and biotech research and development center, the
Xinjiang Originbo seed company and the critical off-season winter
nursery in Hainan. Chief
Technology Officer Jihong Liang will
oversee operations in China from
Beijing.
"The decision to establish our key operations base in
Iowa was made with careful
consideration by both the Origin Board of Directors and the
leadership team," said Dr. Gengchen Han, Origin Executive Chairman
of the Board. "The company's desire to create a multinational
corporation positions Origin for long-term success and enables our
team to contribute to stronger U.S.-China relations in agriculture."
Origin has made extensive investments in plant breeding and
technology in China since its
founding in 1997. The North American presence is a natural
outgrowth of the company's focus on globalization.
Origin Agritech Limited, founded in 1997 and headquartered in
Zhong-Guan-Cun (ZGC) Life Science Park in Beijing, is China's leading agricultural biotechnology
company, specializing in crop seed breeding and genetic
improvement, seed production, processing, distribution, and related
technical services. Leading the development of crop seed
biotechnologies, Origin Agritech's phytase corn was the first
transgenic corn to receive the Bio-Safety Certificate from
China's Ministry of Agriculture.
Over the years, Origin has established a robust biotechnology seed
pipeline including products with glyphosate tolerance and pest
resistance (Bt) traits. Origin operates production centers,
processing centers and breeding stations nationwide with sales
centers located in key crop-planting regions. Product lines are
vertically integrated for corn, rice and canola seeds. For further
information, please visit the Company's website at:
http://www.originseed.com.cn or
http://www.originseed.com.cn/en/.
Forward-Looking Statements
This communication contains "forward-looking statements" within
the meaning of the federal securities laws, including Section 27A
of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. In this context,
forward-looking statements often address expected future business
and financial performance and financial condition, and often
contain words such as "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan,"
"believe," "seek," "see," "will," "would," "target," similar
expressions, and variations or negatives of these words.
Forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that
are, to different degrees, uncertain, such as statements about the
consummation of the proposed transaction and the anticipated
benefits thereof. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of
future performance and are based on certain assumptions and
expectations of future events which may not be realized.
Forward-looking statements also involve risks and uncertainties,
many of which are beyond the company's control. Some of the
important factors that could cause the company's actual results to
differ materially from those projected in any such forward-looking
statements are: fluctuations in energy and raw material prices;
failure to develop and market new products and optimally manage
product life cycles; ability to respond to market acceptance,
rules, regulations and policies affecting products based on
biotechnology and, in general, for products for the agriculture
industry; outcome of significant litigation and environmental
matters, including realization of associated indemnification
assets, if any; failure to appropriately manage process safety and
product stewardship issues; changes in laws and regulations or
political conditions; global economic and capital markets
conditions, such as inflation, interest and currency exchange
rates; business or supply disruptions; security threats, such as
acts of sabotage, terrorism or war, natural disasters and weather
events and patterns which could affect demand as well as
availability of products for the agriculture industry; ability to
protect and enforce the company's intellectual property rights; and
successful integration of acquired businesses and separation of
underperforming or non-strategic assets or businesses. The company
undertakes no duty to publicly revise or update any forward-looking
statements as a result of future developments, or new information
or otherwise, should circumstances change, except as otherwise
required by securities and other applicable laws.
Contact Information
Media:
Jordan Rose
Office: (515) 226-0818
Email: jrose@thinkwixted.com
Investors:
Bill Zima
Phone: (203) 682-8233
Email: Bill.zima@icrinc.com
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SOURCE Origin Agritech Limited