Wilbur-Ellis Corporate Brochure

1921 1931 1941 1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001 2011 Today Tomorrow A Union of Proven History, Modern Advancements and Successful Partnerships

P.2

TABLE OF CONTENTS P5

ABOUT US

P6

AT OUR CORE

P10 HISTORY IN THE MAKING P14 OUR PEOPLE

P15 RISK MANAGEMENT & ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH, SAFETY AND SECURITY

P18 AGRIBUSINESS

P16 SUSTAINABILITY & ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP

P26 FEED

P22 CONNELL BROTHERS

P30 TOMORROW: A STRONG FUTURE

P17 BRINGING GROWTH, INGENUITY & EXPERIENCE TO MARKET

P.3

P.4

ABOUT US

A Union of Proven History, Modern Advancements and Successful Partnerships

We are Wilbur-Ellis Company. We are three businesses – Agribusiness, Connell Brothers and Feed. We are more than nine decades of family ownership and innovation, of merging doing well with doing the right thing. Action is in our DNA. Integrity is our ethos. Our anchor is our past; operational excellence, our present; ingenuity, our future. Our operations in North America and Asia-Pacific make our reach intercontinental, but our expertise, local. In this ever-changing and fast-paced global economy, we strive to benefit our customers, suppliers and the communities in which we live and work. From farm to processing facility, or warehouse to application lab, everyone at Wilbur-Ellis is an asset, because together we are Wilbur-Ellis – yesterday, today and tomorrow.

P.5

AT OUR CORE Responsible service is at the core of our business. To each and every customer, each and every supplier, each and every community. What does service look like? Providing innovative solutions, building a business based on mutual trust and respect and bringing big-business strength as well as small- and family-business ideals to all of our dealings. To know what service looks like, simply look to our employees. We demonstrate our personal commitment through our efforts and our work ethic. It’s what makes Wilbur-Ellis strong.

It’s what fosters long-standing relationships and long-term prosperity for us and all those we serve.

It’s the philosophy we live and work by, and what we hope our customers, suppliers and community members know us by.

P.6

CUSTOMERS

SUPPLIERS

Wilbur-Ellis customers provide vital materials to the world, whether produce, paint or animal feed. Our role is to supply customers with the solutions, the ingredients, the service, the insights and the information they need to get the job done – whether utilizing or developing cutting-edge technology, or sharing our knowledge of worldwide regulatory requirements. Our goal is to bring true value to our customers’ operations and not just meet, but exceed their return on investment. One way we do this is by empowering our employees; by fostering a culture of individual responsibility and accountability; by instilling our teams with a heightened awareness that, in order to provide our customers with the best solutions we, too, must be our best.

Suppliers need access to new territories, and a partner who knows local and specialty markets, with a large enough footprint to connect suppliers with all the places they need to be. Suppliers know they can depend on Wilbur-Ellis to provide a quality infrastructure, and a strong team on the ground that ensures products arrive when, where and how they are intended. We do this by ensuring that every team member is detail-oriented and process-focused.

Knowing that every action has a reaction, our teams act accordingly.

Wilbur-Ellis is not just a distribution and marketing partner, but an expansion of your team that has the reach, desire and passion to expand your market presence.

P.7

AT OUR CORE, WE VALUE

IDEAS IWeNTEGRITY hold ourselves to the highest business standards and the highest moral standards in all internal and external relationships.

D IVERSITY

We encourage a breadth of opinions, respect all stakeholder ideas and cultivate a culture of mutual respect.

E FFORT

We demonstrate our personal commitment via effort and our investment via our work ethic.

ACCOUNTABILITY

We are all individually responsible for our roles and obligations.

SERVICE

We provide exceptional service and honor our commitments to business partners.

At our core, we value people – the people we work for and the people who work for us. To that end, we commend each employee’s individual commitment to upholding our collective values. We strive diligently to apply our values to everything we do; because, when we do that, we are of the most value to our partners and communities alike.

P.8

AT OUR CORE COMMUNITIES Wilbur-Ellis is committed to community. Where there are opportunities to speed infrastructure development, economic growth or environmental awareness, Wilbur-Ellis is there. Where there are opportunities to educate, mentor or communicate, Wilbur-Ellis is there. We recognize our responsibilities to the communities where we live and work, because they are our communities, too, and community matters.

Making an Impact Each year, the shareholders and board of directors of Wilbur-Ellis Company allocate funds for contributions that benefit the communities where Wilbur-Ellis employees live and work, from life-saving equipment for fire departments to disaster relief for communities, and from STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education programs to foundations that help societies flourish. Our communities sustain us and we work diligently to return the favor.

Our service goes beyond those contributions. Across the globe, Wilbur-Ellis employees take part in giving back to their respective communities. Whether it’s a branch in Asia taking time to build bicycles to donate to local children or an aviation specialist in North America using his or her aircraft to assist local emergency services with putting out a wildfire, our employees give back because this sense of shared responsibility has been the hallmark of our company culture for nearly a century. And when they give back, their efforts reverberate forward.

P.9

HISTORY IN THE MAKING

Our people are our pillar.

Across three businesses and three continents, we are bolstered by diversity and bound by common goals: service, sincerity, stability.

As a whole, we are as strong as our individual parts.

The expertise generated and shared within our distribution network is a boon for all.

YESTERDAY: OUR PROUD HISTORY San Francisco, California, 1921. A two-room office, a $5,000 investment and a vision. Brayton Wilbur Sr. and his schoolmates open a small brokerage trading company. With three core operating principles in place – foster long-term, mutually beneficial relationships; pursue and secure strategic market investments; recognize and capitalize on new opportunities – a firm foundation is established. Over the next 90-plus years, Wilbur-Ellis steadily grows, managing to thrive through decades of economic variability and world events. Pivotal to Wilbur-Ellis’ success and reach were initiating a presence in the Pacific Rim with the acquisition of Connell Brothers in 1931, a highly respected distributor of foods and other products; and acquiring nutrition and Ag-Chem businesses in Arizona, California and the Pacific Northwest, keystones for the Agribusiness and Feed businesses.

P.10

TODAY: OUR CURRENT OUTREACH Today, Wilbur-Ellis is a global services leader in precision agriculture technology and products, and in market expansion services in the animal feed and specialty chemicals industries. We are three businesses and one company strong, with a combination of resources, expertise and shared knowledge. We work to create a true value proposition for customers and suppliers alike. After nearly a century of continued profitability, we are a $3.1 billion-plus business.

P.11

HISTORY IN THE MAKING 1921 Schoolmates from the University of Washington, Messrs. Wilbur, Ellis and Franck open a small import-export brokerage trading company in San Francisco with a $5,000 investment. The newly created Wilbur-Ellis focuses on trading fishmeal and fish oil.

1940s

1960s As formulas for fertilizer and crop protection become more sophisticated, the company purchases businesses in California, the Pacific Northwest and Texas. This begins a strategic acquisition approach that continues today.

Wilbur-Ellis opens crop protection and treatment locations for the first time, starting in California and Arizona.

1970s

1930s Wilbur-Ellis initiates a presence in the Far East with the acquisition of a highly respected distributor of food and other products, Connell Brothers.

1950s In post-war Japan, Wilbur-Ellis is among the first foreign-based companies to reestablish trade with the country, a legacy that continues today.

P.12

Agribusiness responds to changes in government oversight with the establishment of a dedicated Safety, Regulatory and Environmental department.

1980s

Today

Connell Brothers focuses on specialty chemicals and ingredients, and increases its presence in Southeast Asia.

Feed becomes a separate business.

Wilbur-Ellis ranks among the 50 largest privately owned companies in the United States.

2000s

Wilbur-Ellis is a global services leader in precision agriculture technology and products, and in market expansion services in the animal feed and specialty chemicals industries.

Company opens new specialty markets branch in Ontario, California, and acquires Ripon Farm Service and Schall Chemical.

1990s Key acquisitions – including John Taylor Fertilizers – establish the company’s position among the top crop protection service providers in the industry.

Expansion of the Canadian feed trading business continues with the opening of operations in Lethbridge, AB.

Tomorrow

2010s

At Wilbur-Ellis, we’re proud of our history but never stop looking ahead.

Wilbur-Ellis celebrates 90 years in business.

Expansion in Asia continues with personal care acquisition in India, Mascot Universal.

Wilbur-Ellis launches its sophisticated Ag technology platform, AgVerdict®.

P.13

OUR PEOPLE:

A CULTURE OF QUALITY & COMMITMENT

Like attracts like. Wilbur-Ellis has a laudable track record of attracting the best people, because we make it our priority to retain the best people.

More than 4,000 men and women throughout North America and Asia-Pacific are building careers at Wilbur-Ellis because they know employees are our top priority.

We believe in targeted training and skills

P.14

development, health and retirement benefits and the prudent balance of work life and family life. We are keenly focused on planning for a sustainable future, on creating greater opportunities for employee advancement, on engendering growth and encouraging mobility. Significant challenges and opportunities lie ahead for all the industries in which we operate.

That’s why we are building today for leadership of tomorrow.

RISK MANAGEMENT & ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH, SAFETY AND SECURITY: OVERVIEW & PHILOSOPHY Wilbur-Ellis and its partners place a premium on superior supply chain management, product regulatory compliance and quality management. The markets we serve are essential to millions of people, from corn growers to personal care product buyers to pet owners. The market regulations in the 19 countries we do business in are stringent. To this end, we bring a wide range of subject-matter expertise to the table to navigate industry changes; stay abreast of new regulations;

prepare for product recalls when necessary; and better meet partner expectations. Our employees are both highly conscious and humbly respectful of the impact that their actions have on our global marketplace.

Regardless of supply chain and regulatory complexities, we aim to surpass industry standards, raise the bar and ensure that every product is both handled and delivered safely. We deliver on this promise and everyone succeeds.

P.15

SUSTAINABILITY & ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP

Clean water, uncontaminated land, clean air and safer food. These are things that matter to all of us. But sustaining them means making a commitment to doing business in a responsible, thoughtful manner. No shortcuts. No window dressing.

At Wilbur-Ellis, this means operating to strict standards for transportation, product distribution and storage. For us, the bottom line is ensuring we do all we can to avoid any negative impact to the earth we live on and the people we come into contact with as a result of what we do.

P.16

For example, as part of a voluntary move away from Nonylphenol Ethoxylates (NPE), Wilbur-Ellis developed the Eco Advantage® (EA) platform, a new environmentallyfriendly adjuvant system that has an aquatic rating by the Environmental Protection Agency, making it safer to use near aquatic sites, including natural lakes and rivers. Wilbur-Ellis was also involved with ResponsibleAg from the very beginning – when the self-governing, not-for-profit organization was founded by those in the agriculture industry. As acting board members, we’re able to share our expertise to enhance product stewardship at every level within the distribution chain – which is ResponsibleAg’s goal.

BRINGING GROWTH, INGENUITY & EXPERIENCE TO MARKET Agribusiness. Connell Brothers. Feed. Three successful businesses. Four core tenets: approach customers and suppliers as true partners; identify challenges and work alongside customers and suppliers to problem solve; continually seek out new markets and growth opportunities; search for innovative ways to increase efficiency and provide qualitative solutions.

Adherence to these tenets is what keeps our respective businesses thriving, grows our company as a whole and maximizes the value we provide to our partners.

Altogether, Wilbur-Ellis is one company strong, bringing growth, ingenuity and experience to market.

P.17

AGRIBUSINESS Agribusiness serves you: the professional grower and professional nursery grower, the professional turf manager and professional vegetation manager, small growers, large producers and plant specialists of every ilk. You’ll find us where you are: in the fields and fairways, the forests and byways. You’ll find our field specialists living and working where you are: from California vineyards to Washington orchards, from the Corn Belt to soybean fields in South Dakota, to the cherry trees in Michigan.

“

Wilbur-Ellis is a progressive company. When we met with Wilbur-Ellis to learn about AgVerdict®, we were excited to see what we could accomplish with the tool. Our younger staff were particularly impressed with it. It was our first time exploring this type of technology on our farm. For food safety and harvest, the ability for us to access spray history, for example, online at any time, will be indispensable.

”

Ryan Lee, Owner of Ryan Lee Farms

P.18

P.19

AGRIBUSINESS

“

Wilbur-Ellis really brought a fresh approach to our farm. They not only bring excellent products and technology, but relevant information. It shows me that they are looking ahead at how the industry is changing. It’s exciting to work with a company that focuses on our needs, and to remain relevant in the changing agriculture landscape. Plus, I really enjoy the relationships and interactions I have with their people. They are truly unique in the way that they do business.

”

Kerrick Baumann L&L Farms

We know the land like no other, our regions like no other and our customers’ needs like no other. Wherever you are, and whatever your diverse needs are, Wilbur-Ellis brings our global network of local experts to you. Our business has survived over the toughest of climates and we never stop looking ahead. We anticipate and think through the issues you care about like reliable water sources, unpredictable and strong weather patterns and quickly changing economic markets. Our agronomists think through these issues for you and stay with you during every phase of the growth cycle, working to provide earth-friendly and innovative solutions that will both engender opportunity and yield profitable returns. Our consultants are a network of university-trained Certified Crop Advisors who are always looking forward.

Innovative solutions are always top-of-mind, and forward-thinking business practices a top priority. To that end, Wilbur-Ellis invests heavily in cutting-

P.20

edge technologies as well as research and development, including drift reduction, crop production, analytics and container tracking. Our groundbreaking precision agriculture software, AgVerdict®, provides a unique combination of field-specific data and our own agronomists’ knowledge to form a strategic decision-making toolkit to help our customers maximize their return on investment. Additionally, the newest line-up of Wilbur-Ellis branded products, Eco Advantage®, are backed by strong research and development in order to provide products with superior performance. This adjuvant is safer to use near lakes and rivers, and aims to meet and exceed standards set by local, national and international regulators. These are just some examples of how our progressive approach has been instrumental to success – both ours and that of our customers.

Our collective service-first tenet, clarity around common goals and dedication to operational excellence, has positioned Wilbur-Ellis for a sustainable future.

P.21

CONNELL BROTHERS Connell Brothers is the largest specialty chemical and ingredients distributor of food & nutrition, pharma, personal and home care, paper, plastics, rubber, construction, coatings and more in Asia-Pacific. We have United States roots and over 100 years of experience. Located throughout 18 countries, we have an extensive network, complete supply chain management, long-standing customer relationships and local market knowledge. We are where market knowledge meets technical knowledge, big-business resources meet small-business agility, and entrepreneurial spirit meets financial strength. Altogether, Connell Brothers is where creativity meets chemistry, providing our business partners with unprecedented expansion opportunities.

“

Our companies are well-aligned on market segments. Connell Brothers has existing relationships in these markets, as well as the right technical and sales teams on the ground, who are constantly feeding us real time data.

Steve Rowles, Director, Specialty Chemicals, Church & Dwight

P.22

�

P.23

CONNELL BROTHERS

Recipe for Success: The 3 in 1 Coffee Craze

“

Connell Brothers and D.D. Williamson share over a decade-long partnership.

The local team in Vietnam is responsive and committed to our success in the 3 in 1 coffee market.

What Connell Brothers brings to the table is product understanding, local market knowledge and sharp business development, which has helped increase our sales in Vietnam.

This, coupled with a good cup of coffee, creates a recipe for mutual success.

”

Tom Lok, Asia Region Sales Manager, D.D. Williamson

Our multiple offices and warehouses spread throughout the region make our network expansive, our capabilities vast and our regional know-how second to none. We live and work in the places we do business. We are a business staffed with highly qualified and experienced individuals with both international business, sales and technical expertise. Our supply chain operates with the utmost degree of safety; substantial investments in infrastructure ensure that our facilities can both properly store and adequately handle regulated materials and ingredients; and lastly, a rigorous internal review process guarantees that we meet our – and our partners’ – environmental, health, safety and security requirements.

We also take a true partnership approach with customers and suppliers: we help discover the right markets and opportunities for our suppliers and provide innovative solutions to our customers. In fact, because many of our locations are equipped with application laboratories, we’re constantly bringing a steady stream of creative, customized solutions to

P.24

customers – from helping to improve the performance of paint, to adding a nutraceutical ingredient to tea, to formulating toothpaste with a new whitening agent. Together, this is a unique and winning combination that Connell Brothers is proud to offer to both our suppliers and customers.

Another such combination is the meeting of big-business resources with small-business agility. Navigating regulations throughout Asia-Pacific is a complex and unique challenge – one that Connell Brothers understands. Resourceful and nimble, our team of regulatory specialists works with our partners to ensure that their ingredients meet both local and international requirements in the region in which they conduct business. In addition, we aid our partners in navigating the stringent market entry process.

While our business has greatly evolved, some things have remained constant over the past century: entrepreneurial in spirit and financially strong, Connell Brothers is here for our customers and suppliers, providing superior supply chain management, regulatory expertise, technological solutions, logistics and, above all, integrity.

P.25

FEED Your business is getting quality ingredients, meeting margins, meeting timelines, safely delivering product and operating within the confines of complex laws and regulations. And our business is you. You can trust that we do what we say we will do. We deliver quality products to our customers by partnering with superior feed and pet food ingredient suppliers. Owning our own processing facilities and mixing plants located in the United States and New Zealand means we can deliver what customers need when they need it, safely and while ensuring the highest of standards.

“

When a business partnership runs this smoothly, you almost take excellent service for granted. We truly value their expertise and competence, which allows us at Black Velvet to remain focused on what we do best, which is producing first-class whiskey.

Our distillers’ dried grain coproduct is a highly sought, premium quality commodity. Our partners at Wilbur-Ellis make sure that it reaches customers who require premium DDG in their mix.

”

Chris Spearman, Accounting and Administration Manager, Black Velvet

P.26

P.27

FEED

Whiskey is Good for Animals, Too When Black Velvet Distillers produces its famous Canadian whiskey, its consumers are not the only ones who benefit.

Black Velvet partners with Wilbur-Ellis to transform distillers’ grains into valuable feed and pet food ingredients.

Wilbur-Ellis transports the coproduct from the distilleries, blends and packages it, and markets it to the feed and pet food industries.

P.28

Wilbur-Ellis has built Feed with a keen eye toward market leadership.

We bring critical expertise to bear on the industry’s most essential operational musts, and then go beyond. Our comprehensive approach to risk management is a qualitative differentiator. Our multi-year investment in seasoned professionals with the expertise to identify and respond to the major risks that impact our industry, including enterprise risk management, supply chain management, product regulatory compliance and quality management, enables Wilbur-Ellis to ensure that we not only

deliver safe, reliable and compliant products, but we also serve as a technical resource group for our suppliers and customers. Wilbur-Ellis focuses on prevention, so you can focus on your business.

In today’s environment, to consistently meet or exceed quality expectations, adhere to government regulations and be compliant may, arguably, be the greatest challenge facing companies doing business in the feed industry. Feed is your partner in meeting those challenges, and all industry challenges, now and in the future.

P.29

TOMORROW: A STRONG FUTURE

Wilbur-Ellis is where personal dependability meets financial stability. It is where privately- and family-owned meets publicly conscious, where experienced management blends with an entrepreneurial spirit.

Since 1921, Wilbur-Ellis has held steadfast in the belief that successful relationships are built on trust, mutual respect and a shared interest in the welfare of all parties.

We value our obligations, and we value opportunity. We draw on nearly a century of experience as we prepare for the future. In short, at Wilbur-Ellis, for our customers, suppliers and community, we are proud of our past but never stop looking ahead. And we hope you’ll join us in doing the same.

“

In analyzing factors underlying organizational success, one consideration stands out, namely, personal relationships. While an organization may be termed successful if it makes a profit and stays in business, its success can be measured on another level – do the people who comprise the organization gain satisfaction in their connection with it? We feel that too much importance cannot be placed on this phase of the organization.

Brayton Wilbur Sr., Founder of Wilbur-Ellis

P.30

”

P.31

P.32