February 14, 2006
Vitamex, Trouw Nutrition International and Loders Croklaan formalise MCFA cooperation
The Animal Nutrition division of IOI, Loders Croklaan Group B.V., signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Vitamex to market liquid Medium Chain Fatty Acids (MCFA) for application in animal feed.
Vitamex holds European patents for the application of MCFA in animal feed. The patents have also been filed in most industrialised countries.
In December 2003, Vitamex granted Trouw Nutrition International B.V., part of the Nutreco Holding, the sole license on their patents and patents pending for the application of MCFA for usage in the animal feed industry.
As a result of the new agreement, Vitamex and Trouw Nutrition International both strengthened their positions in the Medium Chain Fatty Acids business for animal feed.
On the basis of the new agreement, the Vitamex group and Trouw Nutrition International, including their affiliates, will be the sole companies responsible for the sales and marketing of MCFA in animal feed products.
Loders Croklaan decided to support Vitamex's intellectual property rights. With the agreement, the exclusive worldwide distribution of liquid MCFA for animal feed applications based on the Vitamex patents is granted to the Vitamex group.
According to Rik Lodders, business manager of Loders Croklaan, "The Animal Nutrition Group of IOI-Loders Croklaan wants to strengthen its position in the MCFA business, and strongly believes that it has found in Vitamex the right partner to achieve this."
Patrick Keereman, CEO of the Vitamex group believes that this agreement will boost the application of MCFA as a health promoter for intensive pig and poultry rearing. Cooperation with the most important MCFA supplier will stimulate more applications for both powder and liquid forms, the latter offering a better alternative for large feed mills.
Vitamex includes MCFA in the following product lines:
- Aromabiotic and Salbiotic in powder form
- Gali d'Or, an emulsified form of MCFA used as a direct additive in the drinking water of pigs and poultry
From now on, Vitamex will also sell Aromabiotic liquid under the distribution agreement with Loders Croklaan.
Jan Smulders, managing director of one of Trouw Nutrition International's Business Units underlines that MCFAs are very effective in controlling specific microbial growth in animal nutrition.
Trouw Nutrition values MCFA highly in well-known and successful solutions offered as:
- Greenline premixes in the dry form for a safe antibiotic-free feed
- Selko Selacid Green Growth (dry and liquid) as effective microbial control combinations with organic acids
Vitamex N.V., an international group of companies, founded in 1886 and owned by the Management and Cehave Landbouwbelang, has a long history in premixes and specialty feeds for farm animals. Vitamex products are sold in most industrialised markets in the world and the group has operational companies in 7 countries, including emerging markets such as China.
Safe nutrition has been the focus of the group's research in recent years. As such, the patented application of MCFA and the product Aromabiotic have been important innovations for the replacement of antibiotics in feeds.
Loders Croklaan is a division of the Malaysian IOI Group, which is not only a company active throughout the whole palm oil chain, but also the world's largest producer of natural MCFA. Loders Croklaan's Animal Nutrition Group is internationally active in speciality feed ingredients, fats and oils under the brand name 'LodeStar.'
Trouw Nutrition International B.V. is the global leader in premixes, innovative feed specialities and nutritional services for the animal nutrition industry. The company has locations in 25 countries and about 1,400 employees. Since 1931, its feed to food solutions have met the needs of feed producers, integrators, distributors and home mixers, as well as the companion animal industry.
Trouw Nutrition International is a Nutreco company giving access to the research facilities, the knowledge and experience of its sister companies across the world. In 2002, Trouw Nutrition International acquired Selko B.V., which specialised in microbial control through organic acid application technology.
For more information, please contact:
Vitamex N.V. Loders Croklaan B.V. Trouw International B.V.
Patrick Keereman Rik Lodders Henrieke Pol
CEO Vitamex Group Business Manager Communications manager
Mobile: +32-475-714-656 Animal Nutrition Tel: +31-341-371-611
Patrick.Keereman@vitamex.com Tel: +31-756-292-409 Henrieke.pol@nutreco.com
www.vitamex.com Rik.Lodders@croklaan.com www.trouwnutrition.com
