FMC Corp lands in Perpignan the week of its India divestiture close

FMC Corp flew from Trenton-Mercer, New Jersey, to Perpignan-Rivesaltes, France, on the night of May 15, arriving the morning of May 16. The 7-hour 57-minute flight in the company’s Challenger 605, tail N1088, touched down in the foothills of the Pyrenees the same week the company announced a definitive agreement to sell its India commercial business to Crystal Crop Protection for $252 million, per a May 7 PRNewswire release.

Perpignan is not a typical FMC Corp destination — the company’s recurring European stops are London, Frankfurt, and Buenos Aires for its Latin American operations. But the timing aligns with the dual-track strategy CEO Pierre Brondeau outlined at the annual meeting: executing a 2026 operational plan while the board explores a potential sale, as covered by the Philadelphia Inquirer in March. The India divestiture, expected to close by year-end, is part of Project Foundation, a cost-cutting program that also shifts production to lower-cost sites.

FMC Corp’s recent flight pattern shows the jet moving between Philadelphia, Battle Creek (likely a visit to FMC’s agricultural sciences facility), and now southern France. Whether Brondeau is meeting with European partners, inspecting a supply-chain site, or simply using the region as a staging point for further travel, the trip comes at a pivotal moment for the Philadelphia-based pesticide maker as it fights to stay independent.