April 13, 2012

Danish artificial insemination company Hatting-KS enters Germany through acquisition

The Danish pig artificial insemination (AI) station Hatting-KS has bought the German Nort Group, which owns the stations 'Nort' in the state of Lower Saxony and 'Nort-Ost' in Brandenburg, Germany.

Until recently, Hatting-KS, jointly owned by the meat processors Danish Crown and Tican, focused only on the Danish market. Having acquired these additional stations, the company hopes to establish a firm market position in Germany.

By acquiring the Nort Group, Hatting-KS's stocks now exceed 3,500 boars. Both stations 'Nort' and 'Nort-Ost' will continue to be AI stations. The supply of boars will be widened

Founders of the Nort Group, Dr Hubert Mette and Heinz-Werner Hussmann will continue to advise the business after the takeover. Tobias Mette will handle the daily management of both German AI stations. He is supported by Per Nyby Pedersen, director of Hatting-KS.

Hatting-KS had about 2,700 boars, selling approximately 4.4 million semen doses per annum. Its annual turnover was about €40 million, of which two-thirds of sales are attributed to boar semen.