URBANDALE — The global firm Spraytec has years of agronomic experience dealing with often difficult South American growing conditions. The company relies on phosphite in their fertilizer blends along with NPK and micronutrients for optimal crop nutrition.

Now that Spraytec has moved into North America with headquarters in Urbandale, the company has product offerings that deal with the variable weather and growing conditions akin to Iowa and the northern region.

Spraytec manufactures and markets foliar fertilizer products specially formulated to avoid losses during application and provide nutrition, boost plant health and help control diseases in crops. Some producers are reducing sky high input costs by utilizing Spraytec on their crops. The foliar fertilizer products Spraytec manufactures and markets are specially formulated.

While the global company has a presence in eight countries and 12 states within the U.S., Spraytec operated and distributed its products destined for North American customers originally out of its Urbandale location, then expanded recently to have office space and warehouses located in Fort Dodge and Bondurant. They’re in the process of building new offices and a manufacturing facility near the Des Moines International Airport, noted Renato Firmento, operations manager for Spraytec.

“Currently, all of the product distributed in the U.S. is manufactured in South America, but the plan is to have the new building up and running in 2023-2024,” Firmento said. “Our products cover a producer’s needs throughout the entire crop production season, starting at pre-plant weed control and finishing at harvest.”

Globally, Spraytec employs 400 people with 15 located in the U.S. Once the new facility is operational, the company intends to double its number of employees.

“We also have sales representatives, agronomists and managers throughout different states across the Midwest,” Emerson Reis, business development director of Spraytec, said.

Founded by owner and CEO Diego Parodi in 1991 in Argentina, Spraytec first expanded to Brazil, then Paraguay, Uruguay, Bolivia, the U.S., Ukraine and Australia. Next up will be expansion into Canada and Russia.

“Our products are currently being sold at the following states: North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Mississippi,” he said.