SPARKS – BASF Agricultural Solutions expansion brings $70 million in capital improvements and 30 new full-time jobs to South Georgia.

BASF employees, local and state government officials gathered for the ribbon-cutting event Wednesday at the BASF Sparks plant in Cook County.

Georgia First Lady Marty Kemp shared a video message from Gov. Brian Kemp in his absence which congratulated the plant for bringing jobs and economic growth to rural Georgia.

The expansion will allow BASF to produce seed treatment, Poncho Votivo 2.0, increasing plant productivity almost 40% for liquid products, according to BASF representatives.

The plant received a liquid formulation unit, new quality lab,15,000-square-feet climate control warehouse, upgrades to liquid packaging line automation and increased capability to produce more than 45 agricultural products.

“Farmers in Georgia will enjoy the benefits of this technology but this production facility exports across North America and globally,” said Paul Rea, BASF senior vice president. “This expansion is going to impact the local community and communities around the world.”

Construction of the expansion of the BASF Sparks plant began in early 2020 and the team worked through a global pandemic to keep the project on schedule.

“Our site team has been working on this project for almost two years,” said Mark Wolverton, BASF Sparks site director. “We are very excited to use the state-of-the-art technology and have already begun production on the new products.”

BASF Sparks has been a part of the community for more than 36 years, employing more than 200 residents through direct employment and contracts.

BASF Sparks provides the technology for agriculture and works as a partner to the Adel-Cook County Chamber of Commerce, local nonprofit organizations and providing scholarships Cook County students.