Tessenderlo Completes $403 Million FMC Investment and Takes Roughly 20% Stake

Tessenderlo Group has completed its strategic minority investment in FMC Corporation, giving the Belgian industrial group approximately 20 percent of the U.S. agricultural sciences company.

Tessenderlo purchased 30,319,166 FMC shares at $13.30 each for an aggregate price of approximately $403 million. The companies had announced the agreement in June and said the required closing conditions and regulatory approvals have now been satisfied.

The transaction gives Tessenderlo the right to nominate one independent director to FMC's board. Tessenderlo chief executive Luc Tack has been nominated, while the investor is also subject to customary standstill restrictions and a three year lockup.

For FMC, the capital is part of a broader debt reduction strategy. The company previously said the investment would contribute to its target of approximately $1 billion in debt paydown proceeds alongside other transactions.

The deal also creates a closer financial link between two businesses with substantial exposure to agricultural inputs. FMC's portfolio centers on crop protection and related agricultural technologies, while Tessenderlo operates an agro business alongside its industrial activities.

The investment remains a minority position rather than an acquisition. FMC continues to operate as an independent company while Tessenderlo becomes a major strategic shareholder.