eFeedLink - Executive Talk: Addcon articulates its "green" ideas for the future

February 24, 2010

Executive Talk: Addcon articulates its "green" ideas for the future

An eFeedLink Exclusive

With production sites in Bitterfeld, Germany and Porsgrunn, Norway, Addcon reaches to the global feed additives and aquaculture industries with its thrust for "green chemistry" - ensuring that all its products break down by nature and have little impact on the environment.

Just recently, two more products of Addcon - KOFA TMR, a product for stabilisation of TMR and finished feed as well as KOFA GRAIN pH5 - have been registered in China, completing the company's product range in the country, being able to offer dairy, pig and poultry products based on its "green chemistry" philosophy.

In the following interview, Kurt Wegleitner, Chief Marketing & Sales Officer of Addcon, elaborates on how the company keeps all its range of products sustainable in a market of increasing demand and dwindling resources.

Addcon is actively pushing for "green chemistry" - how beneficial is this concept to the feed and livestock sector as a whole?

"Green Chemistry" has become an important claim for all the industries we are working in, namely feed - food - deicing of runways at airports and the oildrillng industry. For all our customers it is crucial - that the use of our products, which are based on organic acids and the respective salts, will not have any negative impact on animals, human beings and the environment. At the same time, our business partners expect that our products work effectively and that the products are cost-effective. This challenge has to be met by our team on a daily basis. As such our slogan of "leading the innovation in green chemistry" is a challenge which we have to meet every day.

The basis of the "green chemistry" concept is the fact that all our products decompose when used. As such, 100% of the product is used up when used and no residues remain.

The market seems currently fixated on going "green" or "organic," do you think this will be the long-term direction for the feed or agri industry?

"Green chemistry" definitely meets the Zeitgeist as we Germans say. On the other hand we have to state that we are not taking an opportunistic approach but some of our products are on the market for more than 60 years already. Constant improvement has led to a product portfolio which is state-of-the-art, especially the FORMI product line which has met a lot of interest in Asia. FORMI, which is the first EU-approved non-antibiotic growth promoter, is our key product in Asia right now. We have all reason to believe that our market share will become more and more important because of two reasons: "effectiveness" and "sustainability."

How important is it for a company like yours to look not only at answering to the needs of the client, but more importantly focusing on the issues of sustainability?

Well - effectiveness and sustainability go hand in hand. Sustainability has nothing to do with a romantic "tree hugging" philosophy but sustainability means that we enable our customers to stay in business today AND tomorrow. In Addcon, "sustainability" is understood as a concept that ensures that the products are effective, generate return on investment AND do not harm any organism. The growing customer base is a sign that this definition works for the industry as well.

Food safety process is given so much attention now compared to years ago, people are getting more aware on what goes on the feed-to-meat chain. How does Addcon contribute to this direction in the market?

Prevention is better than cure! This old saying is still a modern one. When you look into our portfolio you can see that the silage additives keep dairy feed fresh and high in nutritive value - the feed preservative prevent spoilage by moldy, bacteria and yeast, the feed additives control harmful bacteria thus promoting performance and last but not least Fishform ensures that fishmeal is of good quality and free of harmful bacteria.

The whole product line, which is produced following strict quality control in our factories in Norway and Germany has been designed to make feed and food safe. Again - not only because of noble reason but also because of a very practical approach - safe feed saves money!

What do you think are the key ingredients in achieving products that are of high quality and sustainable?

A lot of experience and ongoing research! Not the ivory tower type of research but always the combination of lab researchers working closely with the industry. Last but not least the composition of our products is a key success driver. We are proud to say that we supply 100% active ingredients and 0% "foo foo dust."

What do you think are the key challenges of the feed market right now and how is Addcon addressing it?

We are not a company that looks out for all the doom and gloom scenarios. We rather groom new, innovative concepts.There are signs that raw material prices will go up again - demand might outrun supply - speculation is ongoing. All those factors can not be addressed by one company only. One thing we can do is make sure, that the limited raw material which is available is used the most effective way. This starts with ensuring high quality by means of preservation and leads to feed additives which ensure feed efficiency.