Achievements
George Beestman is an internationally recognized expert in Formulations Research & Development with a strong record of commercial product development, patents, trade secrets, and active disclosures. Problem solving through formulation has been the hallmark of his research and development track record.
Formulations problem solving for clients includes:
- Low VOC emulsifiable concentrate for application to food crops with dilute emulsion stability greater than one week without creaming or crystallization.
- Tablet formulation that disperses in water within one minute.
- Aqueous ready-to-use fungicide formulation.
- Microemulsion formulations.
- Literature review White Papers with development recommendations.
- Formulation technology and encapsulation training.
Career formulations problem solving includes:
- Solvent flammability regulations, solvent supply and cost threatened the viability of the major grass control product for corn and soybeans. Dr. Beestman developed high concentration microencapsulation making this previously dilute process a commercially viable option for herbicides. The pioneering patents provided a proprietary technology that resulted in annual savings of $50M in raw material costs and formed the post-patent strategy for this major product.
- Flow properties and chemical instability of micron-sized sulfonylurea powders are formidable formulation challenges. Dr. Beestman utilized a coating technology to directly encapsulate individual crystals, on a commercial scale, without multi-crystal aggregation. Coated sulfonylureas were then stable when formulated in ways that previously decomposed the compounds. This pioneering patent provides a proprietary position in fine particle coating and allows flow properties of crystalline fine powders to be tailored.
- A major manufacturing cost is air purification following forced air drying of water dispersible granules. Dr. Beestman developed a microwave-assisted process of granulating fine particles without a drying step. Laboratory granulator was developed and specifications for commercial-size unit were established. He utilized this novel technology to protect a water-sensitive sulfonylurea herbicide in large volume of water-containing glyphosate. He utilized anhydrous base salt to remove free water resulting in a free flowing mass that could be milled to powder and would not heat in a microwave field.
- Dr. Beestman formulated the first dry formulation of the herbicide glyphosate designed to be used as a plant growth regulator. He identified an emulsifier to reduce herbicidal response and enhance plant growth regulation response, thus creating a commercially viable product. A novel sesqui-sodium salt form of glyphosate was used to maximize the speed of dissolving into water. His first industrial patent eliminated corrosion of liquid Roundup®.