NOREL TRANSFERS THE PROBIOTIC BUSINESS TO EVONIK

Evonik signed a purchase agreement on July 4, 2016, for acquisition of 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 Leon (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 Dr. Emmanuel Auer, head of the Animal Nutrition Business Line of Evonik.

“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.

ABOUT EVONIK

Evonik, the creative industrial group from Germany, is one of the world leaders in specialty chemicals, operating in the Nutrition & Care, Resource Efficiency and Performance Materials segments. The company benefits from its innovative prowess and integrated technology platforms. In 2015 more than 33,500 employees generated sales of around €13.5 billion and an operating profit (adjusted EBITDA) of about €2.47 billion.

ABOUT NOREL

NOREL is a Spanish company whose business is the development, manufacturing and trading of additives and raw materials for animal nutrition (aquatic and terrestrial species). NOREL has more than 30 years of experience and is present in more than 70 countries around the world. It develops innovative and practical products as a result of a strong relation with customers and this research approach. These facts position NOREL as one of the leading companies of feed additives worldwide.