February 18, 2008

Ross EPI completes redevelopment of Baekke hatchery

Press Release

Ross-EPI B.V., part of the Aviagen Group, has recently undergone a significant refurbishment programme of its hatchery in Baekke, Denmark.

The hatchery now has an increased weekly production capacity of 95,000 parent stock and a maximum hatch capacity of over one million eggs.

The EUR 1 million (US$1.47 million) renewal of facilities and equipment has seen the addition of a number of setters and hatchers, an egg temperature measurement system, CO2 control and a system that allows all machines to be linked to a central computer. Additional investments also include a new emergency power generator, an extension of the sexing table, a semi-automatic chick dispenser for the sexers and a new ventilation system in the chick storage room.

The refurbishment has also seen the introduction of new facilities that have further improved the standards of biosecurity. The new facilities include the enlargement of concrete platforms at egg-unloading, chick-loading and waste areas. The site has also added new and better routing at the hatchery, realised by closing and replacing doors and a new coating to the floors throughout the hatchery and IKB registration.  The biosecurity monitoring at the Baekke hatchery meets with all Ross-EPI monitoring standards and is implemented at the same level as Ross-EPI's Roermond hatchery in the Netherlands.

Ross EPI was founded in 1980 with the objective of being the independent distributor for Ross products in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. The second half of the 1980's saw significant growth and Ross-EPI's sales territory was widened to include Switzerland and Austria and in the late 1990s Poland. In 2003, Ross EPI became part of the Aviagen group. The company currently has over 75 employees over Europe and now is a truly international operation covering six countries with parent stock sales in excess of 10 million.

Representatives from the European poultry industry attended the opening of the Baekke. General manager of Ross-EPI and Peter Page, Aviagen's vice president, Peter Claeys commented: "I am delighted to represent Aviagen at the official opening of the Baekke Hatchery and would like to extend sincere congratulations to Ross EPI on this fantastic achievement."