Sector News

On July 4, Evonik Industries AG signed an agreement to acquire the probiotics business of the Spanish company Norel, a global supplier of animal feed ingredients. The agreement sees Evonik acquiring Norel’s probiotics product portfolio as well as the company’s site in León (Spain). The business will be integrated into Evonik’s Animal Nutrition Business Line. The parties have agreed not to disclose details of the transaction.

Evonik is currently expanding its portfolio of sustainable and healthy solutions in the field of animal nutrition and striving to provide innovative solutions for antibiotic-free livestock management. Food safety and quality are increasingly important to end consumers. “There is great awareness for the relevance of animal feed quality for sustainable livestock management, as it influences both animal and human health,” says Emmanuel Auer, head of the Animal Nutrition Business Line of Evonik.

For Evonik, probiotics play a key role as a possible alternative to the use of antibiotics and antibiotic growth promotors. Probiotics are living microorganisms and have a positive effect on the gastro-enteric system of animals, as scientific studies have shown. In particular, they play a key role in maintaining the gut health of animals. The full benefits of probiotics as well as their potential positive impact in other health areas, however, have not yet been fully exploited.

“For us, this acquisition marks an important step into the probiotics market. By combining the technologies of Norel and Evonik we can create a platform for the development of new customer solutions, which are built around probiotics product families and application services,” says Auer. “We want to position Evonik as an innovative solution provider in the field of antibiotic-free livestock management”. Norel’s portfolio includes a range of probiotic products for application in poultry and pigs, as well as in aquaculture, and whose effects have been scientifically proven.

“For the last 25 years we have worked on probiotic products and taken these from their development stage straight through to commercialization. Products such as Ecobiol and Fecinor are already available in many markets. “That’s something we’re very proud of, and we are pleased that our probiotics business has found a new home and future within Evonik”, says Francisco Moral, managing director of Norel.

Norel’s probiotics business gives Evonik access to this product range and to more than 20 markets including the European market. “Our aim is to be able to provide the most comprehensive and effective solutions possible in the field of animal nutrition in order to contribute to the sustainable nutrition of a growing world population”, stresses Auer.

With more than 60 years of experience in the production of essential amino acids, Evonik offers solutions for efficient and sustainable animal nutrition to customers in more than a hundred countries around the world. By extending its product range beyond amino acids to include innovative feed additives, Evonik plans to contribute even further to the efficiency of animal feed and to create additional value for its customers. Evonik products and services in the area of animal nutrition play a key role globally in healthy and affordable feed production that conserves natural resources and reduces the carbon footprint.

By Gerald Ondrey

Source: Chemical Engineering Online