Kai Beckmann

Money Moves

Leading the company through the plant closure

Blue Diamond Growers is permanently closing its 115-year-old flagship Sacramento plant, eliminating roughly 600 jobs. CEO Kai Bockmann cited maintenance costs and inefficiencies in the historical buildings at 1802 C Street.

Updated Sep 14

Money Moves

Leading his first major acquisition since taking the top job in September 2025

Merck KGaA of Darmstadt, Germany, agreed to buy Bio-Techne, a Minneapolis company that makes the reagents, proteins, and imaging tools researchers use at the lab bench. The price is $73 a share in cash, about $11.3 billion, a 36% premium over the recent trading average.

Updated Jun 25