The Dutch Denkavit Group, which specialises in producing feed for young animals, has agreed to acquire Volac’s milk replacer business.
Earlier this week the UK headquartered dairy nutrition company, Volac, confirmed plans to close its milk replacement business in Co. Meath and “consolidate” production into its UK manufacturing facility.
The Hertfordshire-headquartered company said that after “a period of consultation, Volac has made the decision to close the Kells site”.
Volac stated: “It is proposed that production at the Kells facility will cease at the end of March 2024.
“Plans are now being put into place for the consolidation of production into our UK manufacturing facility.
Milk replacer
Commenting on the acquisition by Denkavit of Volac’s milk replacer business, David Neville, chief executive Volac International, said the company wanted the business to “continue to flourish”.
“As our portfolio of products in Volac Animal Nutrition expands further into the feed additives area following the successful acquisition of Micron Bio-Systems in 2021, we want to build on the synergies this brings.
“We have made the decision to sell our milk replacer business to a leading player in that market who can give it the focus it deserves.
“It was hugely important to us to sell to a company with similar ambition and values. We have enjoyed a healthy relationship with Denkavit over the years, and look forward to this new chapter and seeing them take the milk replacer business to the next level,” Neville added.
Denkavit
Meanwhile the chief executive of the Denkavit Group, which is headquartered in Voorthuizen in the Netherlands, said that the acquisition of Volac’s milk replacer business is an “important step” for the organisation.
Erik Buys said: “This acquisition strongly supports our ambition for global leadership in the calf milk replacer industry, bringing us a strong position in the UK and Irish markets.”
Under the terms of the acquisition product for the UK and Ireland markets will continue to be supplied and blended by Volac as part of the deal.