Generations of trust
For decades, Helena Agri-Enterprises has sought to provide our customers with the guidance, the tools, and the products they need to deliver results they deserve.
1957
Founded in Helena, Arkansas
Helena Chemical Company is founded by Billy Mitchell, a distinguished WWII veteran of the Army Air Corp. It serves as a formulator and distributor serving regional agricultural markets along the Mississippi River.
1960
Field Research
Helena creates a field research database to aid farm management decisions. The collection of data provides an historical view of field conditions and reveals informative trends over time.
1987
Acquired by Marubeni Corporation
Helena is acquired by Marubeni, an integrated trading and investment business conglomerate based in Tokyo, Japan. Helena joins other major agri-input retailers around the world in Marubeni’s growing Agri Business Division.
1989
Fertilizer Business
Leveraging its vast distribution network, Helena enters the commodity fertilizer business. Many retail locations are fertilizer terminals with specialized access to railways and ports of entry, ensuring the smooth delivery of fertilizer from around the world.
1993
Professional Products
In addition to production agriculture, Helena begins serving a number of professional industries. These include golf course management, nurseries and ornamental sellers, roadside and industrial vegetation management, forestry and more.
1994
Proprietary Products
Helena Products Group (HPG) is established at Agricenter International in Memphis, Tennessee. HPG houses a laboratory, research and development operation and training center, investing millions annually in the discovery of new agricultural technology.
1997
National Footprint
As Helena expands coast to coast, four Business Units are created with regional offices in the North, South, East and West. Each region tailors its offerings to the unique needs of its farming communities.
1998
Retail Software
Helena and Software Solutions of IL create jointly owned entity, SSI, LLC. Its software platform called Agvance revolutionizes back office management for ag retailers, producing more efficiency and better customer service.
2002
Data Management
Helena sees the future of agriculture in the application of data. It brands its suite of digital farming solutions under the name AGRIntelligence® and develops new ways to use and learn from data.
2006
Chemical Manufacturing
Helena consolidates its chemical manufacturing assets under Helena Industries, Inc. It provides formulation and packaging solution to diverse markets: agriculture, home and garden, industrial chemicals and commercial applications.
2013-2021
Nationwide Expansion
Helena acquires 121 ag retail locations. Due to this period of rapid growth, Helena’s retail operation now services all 48 lower states.
2015
Aerial Application
With the creation of Diversified Applications, Inc., Helena services acres in need of professional and reliable aerial application services. It is part of Helena’s commitment to adapt in order to fulfill customer needs based on regions and market conditions.
2018
Helena Agri-Enterprises, LLC
Helena Chemical Company becomes Helena Agri-Enterprises, LLC to better encompass its broad range of companies, subsidiaries and affiliations. Together, its holdings support the future of agricultural and non-crop/specialty markets in diverse ways.
2023
Sales Milestone
Sales exceed $7 billion, firmly establishing Helena as one of the leading formulators and distributors in the U.S. It consistently places second in the CropLife 100 rankings of top ag retailers in the country.
Helena today
Though much has changed since our business began, our mission has remained the same. Helena strives to be the preferred link in the supply chain to people who grow food and fiber, or manage vegetation.