September 29, 2005

Big Dutchman takes over HOWEMA

 

 

Big Dutchman Pig Equipment GmbH, located in Vechta-Calveslage in Germany, will soon takeover HOWEMA GmbH & Co. KG from Visbek-Wöstendöllen.

 

Big Dutchman Pig Equipment, a subsidiary of Big Dutchman International GmbH, will takeover HOWEMA shares as of Oct 1. All property will remain in the possession of the previous owners.

 

With the takeover, Big Dutchman and HOWEMA, two renowned companies from the German district of Vechta, will become the world's largest supplier for modern pig equipment.

 

On the occasion of a joint-staff meeting, both companies introduced the procedure for the takeover of management and know-how. 

 

Magnus Westerkamp, one of the managing partners of HOWEMA, will be appointed managing director of Big Dutchman Pig Equipment GmbH. This is a joint position with Heinrich Fraas of Big Dutchman, who has been in charge of administration, IT and accounting at the company headquarters for many years.

 

On the spectacular joint move, Westerkamp and Big Dutchman AG board member Uwe Heider said, "On the world market, only those companies which offer a comprehensive product range will prevail in future,"

 

As projects in foreign countries are becoming larger, more complicated and hold higher risks, "presence in the market, financial power and the necessary innovative ability" are crucial, said Westerkamp and Heider.

 

"Against this background we have had fruitful conversations on a very friendly basis and at the right point in time. For Big Dutchman and HOWEMA are two sound businesses with an outstanding order situation, especially right now!" said the managers.

 

Regarding the joint strategy, both managers said: "It is our aim to keep up both strong brands, to join our know-how and to purchase together in an optimum way. Moreover, we want to coordinate our organisation structures and thus further increase our competitive ability".

 

In the future, HOWEMA will enlarge its product range "by some top products from Big Dutchman that can be bought nowhere else on the market," said Westerkamp. "This means that our customers will have access to an extended product range, for example on the sectors of exhaust air cleaning and environment control. At the same time they can count on proven HOWEMA systems, including our service."

 

Big Dutchman Pig Equipment will also benefit from the additional know-how and new products. "HOWEMA's own construction of control cabinets and special-purpose machines offers new opportunities for us and our customers", said Heider, who recently acted as provisional head of the Pig Division in the Big Dutchman group.

 

The joint Pig Management Division will have a total turnover of EUR65 million with approximately 145 staff members in the coming business year. "This means that we are the no. 1 world-wide, and this is among others due to the fact that we face up to the challenges of the future and tackle them more rapidly than many of our competitors in this business segment", said Heider.

 

In lieu of the coming takeover, all decisions pertaining human resources would be made with care, precaution and much respect for individuals. "We do it as it has always been in our medium-sized family enterprises."

 

Bernd Meerpohl, chairman of the Big Dutchman AG board of management, emphasised, "We see the largest potential of synergies particularly in the people and their outstanding qualification."

 

Meerpohl stressed that the Big Dutchman Group looks forward to cooperating with HOWEMA employees. Whether for business or private matters, he had this to say, "For you as well, my door is always open!"

 

Big Dutchman Group was founded by Arnold Westerkamp and Josef Honkomp in 1965. The company can look back on a successful history of 40 years as a producer of computer-controlled liquid feeding systems for pigs. Today, 35 employees oversee the development of hardware and software for liquid feeding systems.

 

Since the merger of Big Dutchman Group with LOMAN from Bremerhaven in 2002, GÜnter Geiger and Ralf Garberding have become managing partners, in addition to Magnus Westerkamp and Martin Honkomp.

 

Big Dutchman Pig Equipment GmbH is the subisidiary in charge of the business segment of pig equipment within the world-wide leading company, Big Dutchman AG, with offices also in Vechta-Calveslage, Germany. Besides technical know-how, BD Pig Equipment also offers a comprehensive product range and many years of experience handling large projects.

 

The liquid feeding technology sector was developed jointly by Big Dutchman Skandinavien A/S  in Vejen, Denmark. Dry feeding systems, housing systems as well as exhaust air-cleaning and environment control systems of the BD subsidiary Skov A/S, are located in Glyngöre, Denmark, and form part of the complete product line.

 

 

Signing the contracts: Heinrich Fraas, Bernd Meerpohl, Magnus Westerkamp and Martin Honkomp (from left to right)

 

 

The new managing directors of Big Dutchman Pig Equipment GmbH: Magnus Westerkamp (left) and Heinrich Fraas

 

For more information please contact:

 

Andreas Böske                                       Magnus Westerkamp

Head of publicity department                   Managing director
Big Dutchman Pig Equipment GmbH         HOWEMA

Big Dutchman International GmbH

E-Mail: aboeske@bigdutchman.de           westerkamp@howema.com

Phone: +49(0)4447/801-118                     +49(0)4445 / 969-126

Fax: +49(0)4447/801-5118                       +49(0)4445 / 969-111