Fmc's Suppliers Performance

We encounter substantial competition in each of our three business segments. We market our products through our own sales organization and through alliance partners, independent distributors and sales representatives. The number of our principal competitors varies from segment to segment. In general, we compete by providing advanced technology, high product quality and reliability, and quality customer and technical service, and by operating in a cost-efficient manner.

Our FMC Agricultural Solutions segment competes primarily in the global chemical crop protection market for insecticides, herbicides and fungicides. Industry products include crop protection chemicals and, for certain major competitors, genetically engineered (crop biotechnology) products. Competition from generic agrochemical producers is significant as a number of key product patents held industry-wide have expired in the last decade. In general, we compete as an innovator by focusing on product development, including novel formulations, proprietary mixes, and advanced delivery systems and by acquiring or licensing (mostly) proprietary chemistries or technologies that complement our product and geographic focus. We also differentiate ourselves by our global cost-competitiveness via our manufacturing strategies, establishing effective product stewardship programs and developing strategic alliances that strengthen market access in key countries and regions.

Our FMC Health and Nutrition segment has significant positions in markets that include alginate, carrageenan, and microcrystalline cellulose. We compete with both direct suppliers of cellulose and seaweed extract as well as suppliers of other hydrocolloids, which may provide similar functionality in specific applications. In microcrystalline cellulose, competitors are typically smaller than us, while in seaweed extracts (carrageenan and alginates) and omega-3 fish oils, we compete with other broad-based chemical companies.

Our FMC Minerals segment sells soda ash and lithium-based products worldwide. In North America, our soda ash business competes with four domestic producers of natural soda ash, three of which operate in the vicinity of our mine and processing facilities near Green River, Wyoming. Outside of the U.S., Canada, Europe and South Africa, we sell soda ash mainly through the American Natural Soda Ash Corporation ("ANSAC"). Internationally, our natural soda ash competes with synthetic soda ash manufactured by numerous producers, ranging from integrated multinational companies to smaller regional companies. The primary competitive factor affecting the sales of soda ash to commodity markets is price. FMC as well as the other North American producers of soda ash benefit from the lowest cost of soda ash production globally, especially when compared to the foreign synthetic soda ash manufacturers. We and each of our two most significant competitors in lithium extract the element from naturally occurring lithium-rich brines located in the Andes Mountains of Argentina and Chile, which are believed to be the world’s most significant and lowest cost sources of lithium.

We encounter substantial competition in each of our three business segments. We market our products through our own sales organization and through alliance partners, independent distributors and sales representatives. The number of our principal competitors varies from segment to segment. In general, we compete by providing advanced technology, high product quality and reliability, and quality customer and technical service, and by operating in a cost-efficient manner.

Our FMC Agricultural Solutions segment competes primarily in the global chemical crop protection market for insecticides, herbicides and fungicides. Industry products include crop protection chemicals and, for certain major competitors, genetically engineered (crop biotechnology) products. Competition from generic agrochemical producers is significant as a number of key product patents held industry-wide have expired in the last decade. In general, we compete as an innovator by focusing on product development, including novel formulations, proprietary mixes, and advanced delivery systems and by acquiring or licensing (mostly) proprietary chemistries or technologies that complement our product and geographic focus. We also differentiate ourselves by our global cost-competitiveness via our manufacturing strategies, establishing effective product stewardship programs and developing strategic alliances that strengthen market access in key countries and regions.

Our FMC Health and Nutrition segment has significant positions in markets that include alginate, carrageenan, and microcrystalline cellulose. We compete with both direct suppliers of cellulose and seaweed extract as well as suppliers of other hydrocolloids, which may provide similar functionality in specific applications. In microcrystalline cellulose, competitors are typically smaller than us, while in seaweed extracts (carrageenan and alginates) and omega-3 fish oils, we compete with other broad-based chemical companies.

Our FMC Minerals segment sells soda ash and lithium-based products worldwide. In North America, our soda ash business competes with four domestic producers of natural soda ash, three of which operate in the vicinity of our mine and processing facilities near Green River, Wyoming. Outside of the U.S., Canada, Europe and South Africa, we sell soda ash mainly through the American Natural Soda Ash Corporation ("ANSAC"). Internationally, our natural soda ash competes with synthetic soda ash manufactured by numerous producers, ranging from integrated multinational companies to smaller regional companies. The primary competitive factor affecting the sales of soda ash to commodity markets is price. FMC as well as the other North American producers of soda ash benefit from the lowest cost of soda ash production globally, especially when compared to the foreign synthetic soda ash manufacturers. We and each of our two most significant competitors in lithium extract the element from naturally occurring lithium-rich brines located in the Andes Mountains of Argentina and Chile, which are believed to be the world’s most significant and lowest cost sources of lithium.