Boehringer Ingelheim did not produce Agent Orange. The company did also not contribute to its production by supplying precursors or raw materials.

Boehringer Ingelheim did not produce Agent Orange. The company did also not contribute to its production by supplying precursors or raw materials. Nevertheless, the company is repeatedly and erroneously mentioned in this context. 

The actual situation is reported in an inaccurate, abbreviated, and incorrect way. These reports are then further cited as sources, which leads to the multiplication of untrue allegations. It is our corporate and social responsibility to correct these false allegations.

• The fact of the matter is that Boehringer Ingelheim did not produce Agent Orange.

• Furthermore, Boehringer Ingelheim did not, neither directly nor indirectly, contribute to the production of Agent Orange, for example by supplying precursors or raw materials.

• These statements can be made with certainty.

We have compiled the most important Q&As on this matter:

1. Did Boehringer Ingelheim ever produce Agent Orange or any of the raw materials for its production?

No. Boehringer Ingelheim did not produce Agent Orange; nor did it contribute to its production by supplying precursors or raw materials. This can be validated extensively through internal and external sources.

2. Why is Boehringer Ingelheim frequently mentioned in context with Agent Orange?

This is due to the complexity of the issue. Nevertheless, this issue must be presented accurately – also due to the high sensitivity of the topic. However, especially media reports and encyclopaedias report the actual situation often in an inaccurate, abbreviated or incorrect way. These reports are then further cited as sources, leading to the multiplication of these untrue allegations which are being misinterpreted as facts. 

3. Where do these false allegations and statements come from?

Most often, the reason is an abbreviated presentation of the complex issue. Since the 1950s, Boehringer Ingelheim supplied 2,4,5-T and trichlorophenol lye to the New Zealand company Ivon Watkins Ltd., which used these supplies to manufacture herbicides intended for removing thorny bushes from large grazing areas. Later, Ivon Watkins Ltd. was taken over by the American company Dow Chemical, which was involved in the production of Agent Orange. This led to the incorrect assumption that Boehringer Ingelheim had contributed to the production of Agent Orange. In 1990, following consultations with independent experts, a parliamentary inquiry committee of the New Zealand Government determined that Ivon Watkins Ltd. had not supplied 2,4,5-T for use in Vietnam.

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/defence-minister-releases-historic-agent-orange-papers 

4. Nevertheless, there are reports and books which allege that Boehringer Ingelheim delivered 2,4,5-T to the American company Dow Chemical for the production of Agent Orange.

These allegations are incorrect. Neither Ivon Watkins Ltd. nor Dow Chemical received 2,4,5-T from Boehringer Ingelheim for the production of Agent Orange. Moreover, there were no contracts that indicate or confirm any delivery. After 1964, Boehringer Ingelheim sold a licence for a lower TCDD production process of 2,4,5-T to Dow Chemical instead, as cases of chloracne became more frequent in production.

5. Did Boehringer Ingelheim itself not admit to having been involved in the Agent Orange topic in a report from the German magazine DER SPIEGEL (48/1992)?

No. The SPIEGEL report cites from a Boehringer Ingelheim brochure. However, the sentence is presented without context. This abbreviation produces a false impression. The complete passage from the original reads: “Boehringer Ingelheim was involved in the Vietnam problem surrounding Agent Orange. Competitive advantages in the crop protection market were realized. However, Boehringer Ingelheim demonstrably had no involvement with the use of Agent Orange in Vietnam.”

6. Still, Boehringer Ingelheim is said to have been prepared to extend the licence for the production process. Is that correct?

Yes. In 1967, Dow Chemical was interested in extending the licence for the 2,4,5-T production process so that it could also be used for military purposes. However, this contract never materialized. From today's perspective, the allegation remains that Boehringer Ingelheim was willing to provide the know-how for the production of Agent Orange.

7. Did Boehringer Ingelheim directly or indirectly profit from the Vietnam war?

Indirectly. The effects of the Vietnam War were noticeable in many sectors of the global economy, including the chemical industry. Boehringer Ingelheim filled supply gaps in the civilian crop protection market and thus indirectly benefited financially from the Vietnam War.

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