Nunhems, the vegetable seeds division of German chemical manufacturer BASF, has announced that it will build a state-of-the-art R&D&I centre in El Ejido (Almería). Construction of the 25-hectare facility will begin in early 2026, with the aim of having it fully operational by early 2028.

Once it begins operations, the new R&D&I centre in El Ejido will gradually take over the activities currently carried out at the company's two other centres in the province, in Almerimar and Santa María del Águila. The new location will also become the headquarters of this business unit in Spain.

State-of-the-art multi-tunnel greenhouses
The new R&D&I centre will be equipped with state-of-the-art multi-tunnel greenhouses, advanced breeding laboratories and spaces dedicated to plant pathology. From there, new solutions for the market will be sought that respond to the needs of the entire value chain. The modern office building has been designed with open workspaces to encourage collaboration and flexibility.

The centre will also have customer service, finance, marketing and sales departments, as well as a logistics centre for seed distribution in Spain and Portugal. Its ultimate goal will be to strengthen Nunhems' position in the vegetable seeds sector and drive innovation and operational excellence.

Sustainable innovations for farmers around the world
Ena Hartig, Vice President of R&D at BASF-Nunhems, explained that the R&D&I centre "is designed to offer innovative varieties and solutions tailored to the dynamic needs of our customers, thereby contributing to BASF's efforts to continuously develop sustainable innovations for farmers around the world. It provides our team with the space and tools necessary to accelerate innovation in line with our growth expectations."

For Paco González, Managing Director of Nunhems Spain, this facility ‘represents a key step in bringing together and growing BASF-Nunhems' operations in Spain,’ adding, "This new centre will not only serve the province and the Iberian Peninsula, but also other regions of the world. The choice of Almería as the location for this investment and the decision to move our headquarters to El Ejido confirm this province as a global benchmark in vegetable innovation and production."  

González also said, "We have the best team in the world and now we also need the best facilities. This new working environment will allow us to continue leading the sector and, more importantly, to provide top-quality solutions to our customers and society, promoting joint and sustainable growth."

^{Photo: Basf}