CSI is evolving to meet global demands for innovation, social responsibility, and leadership in our industry. In the past decade, CSI has exponentially expanded our capabilities, support, and the advancement of Professional Pest Control and Non-Agricultural Industries. We actively support and partner with the professional pest management industry through PPMA, NPMA, and state and local pest management associations. We have developed strong corporate governance and guiding ethics based on professionalism, leadership, accountability, and transparency. All of these are integral parts of our core values at CSI.
CSI has spent more than $4.5 million for research and development of products targeted to the professional and specialty markets. All of this is accomplished through extensive U.S.-based technical and product development support. Products developed by the Control Solutions Inc., team are now being introduced in numerous countries around the world including Australia, Mexico, and Italy.
Control Solutions, Inc. (CSI) is a member of the ADAMA group with a rich history stretching back more than 70 years. Globally, ADAMA is a $4.1 billion company, and while the group may not develop new active ingredients (AIs), we work with discovery companies to acquire new and proprietary AIs. We are a research and development company at the forefront of creating unique solutions-based products. Each year, ADAMA invests $60-80 million globally in R&D, employs more than 8,000 people in over 100 countries, and operates 7 product development centers globally. Our workplaces are desirable environments: We retained 89% of our employees in 2018-2019.
ADAMA owns proprietary chemistry/active ingredients (available only to CSI). A prime example is the active ingredient novaluron, which is part of our new product development pipeline. Overall, we hold more active ingredient technical registrations than any of our competitors, both globally and domestically. This allows us to formulate combinations and unique formulations our competitors cannot. Many of the active ingredients we have registered are through backward integration at the several synthesis plants we have in key locations around the world, leading to fewer supply chain issues than some of our competitors.
Domestically and globally we continue to focus on sustainability and water protection. In the past 2 years, our EcoVadis sustainability score has increased significantly, reflecting our commitment to and improvements in environmental protection, labor, and human rights, ethics, advanced products, and sustainable procurement. Globally, investment in the development of sustainable agricultural practices, reduction of waste, recycling, and water protection continues to be a priority. Global decreases in greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption, and discharged organic effluents go well beyond compliance. Adama works closely with agronomists, officials at water companies, and other pesticide manufacturers and is a member of the Crop Protection Association water group, the Get Pelletwise campaign, and the industry-led Voluntary Initiative. Adama has also funded the development of its smartphone app, WaterAware, to give producers real-time, practical advice for the best timing to apply pesticides.
Control Solutions, Inc. is not a “generic” manufacturer. Our product development team has delivered more innovative and differentiated products to the specialty chemical market in the past five years than all our competitors combined. CSI is one of five global centers of excellence for the dedicated development of these specialty chemical products, designed for professional, non-agricultural use. More than $4.5 million has been invested in the past 7 years in the development of products designed exclusively for this market. This investment includes phytotoxicity testing, staining, physical property testing, as well as the EPA-required efficacy testing for each of our new products. Additional efficacy and component testing are often completed on the specialty chemical products, especially those designated for the professional market.
U.S.-based CSI has extensive support capabilities, including:
CSI owns and controls our liquid, aerosol, granular, and bait production lines and sites. This control allows us to perform full root cause analysis on any product or formulation issue and to solve problems in real-time. The legacy companies toll at least one of these options to third-party manufacturing reducing their control over quality and issue remediation. The CSI product development and regulatory teams work directly with the EPA pro-actively to shape decisions on active ingredients of concern in specialty markets.
CSI is fully dedicated to providing innovative, differentiated products to the field. By listening to our stakeholders, customers, and experts, we deliver solutions that address pain points and meet their needs. We are dedicated to providing differentiated solutions for the professional pest management industry that are simple and economical to use. With world-class formulations, new and different application equipment, stewardship, and education for the protection of active ingredients, CSI is no longer a generic company — but has evolved into an essential manufacturer and a leader in the industry.
