Alltech Acquires Netherlands-Based Aquatic Feed Company and US Animal Nutrition Company

07 June 2016 --- Alltech, the US animal health company, has acquired an aquatic feed company based in the Netherlands and a US animal nutrition business, as it continues on the acquisition trail.

Privately-owned Alltech has acquired Coppens International which makes various tropical and freshwater fish feeds and baits.

The new business will be integrated into Alletech's microalgae and protein platforms, boosting its offering to customers.

Alltech already owns one of the world’s largest commercial algae production sites in Kentucky.

Coppens International has a distribution network which spans more than 60 countries, including the Netherlands, France, Germany and Australia, and its products are sold to fish producers via direct sales or through distributor and dealer channels.

It will continue to be headquartered in the Netherlands. No financial details of the deal have been disclosed.

“Coppens International has many qualities we admire in a fish nutrition business: a robust, quality production system, dynamic routes to market and a pioneering spirit for research and development, which, all combined, present us with numerous synergies,” said Dr. Pearse Lyons, founder and president of Alltech.

“With a combination of Alltech’s primacy in science and Coppens International’s strong distribution network, we have a winning formula for moving aquatic nutrition forward to greater feed efficiency. “

“Aqua producers face many common challenges, such as mineral absorption, feed costs and efficiency,” continued Dr. Lyons. “With Coppens International now part of the Alltech family, we can make global efforts to address these challenges for our customers.”

“With an average growth rate of 10 percent per annum, this is a truly exciting time to be in the aquaculture sector,” said Anno Galema, managing director of Coppens International.

“By joining Coppens International with Alltech, we now capitalise on this growth and bring together the best aquatic nutrition solutions to aquatic producers around the world. “

“I am delighted Coppens International is now firmly connected to a company at the forefront of science, animal health and nutrition,” continued Galema. “Our future with Alltech now strengthens our ability to deliver aquatic feed nutrition solutions like never before.”

Separately, Alltech has purchased Ranch-Way Feeds, the Colorado-based animal nutrition company which makes 50,000 tons of feed a year.

Ranch-Way Feeds markets its products through an extensive dealer network in the Rocky Mountain region.

Ranch-Way Feeds’ sales, marketing and technical teams will merge with the operations of Alltech subsidiary Hubbard Feeds to create a network for dealers and Western region livestock producers.

“Hubbard Feeds and Ranch-Way Feeds represent a dynamic team of like-minded, science-driven and ag-passionate people,” said Kevin Levi, president of Ridley U.S. Feeds Operations.

“We are confident that Western U.S. livestock producers will benefit from increased nutritional offerings, expanded sales and technical support, and access to cutting-edge technologies through the combined resources of Ranch-Way Feeds, Hubbard, Ridley and Alltech. This acquisition is driven by our shared motivation to strengthen our support of Western livestock producers.”

On top of these two acquisition, Alltech has acquired 13 other businesses since 2011.