Hamlet Protein invests in US manufacturing plant
Danish based Hamlet Protein has commenced a multi-million dollar investment in a new US sales and production company on the back of strong sales growth in the North American market.
Employing an initial 25 members of staff, the US organization will be responsible for serving customers in the entire NAFTA region
Located in Findlay, Ohio, the new production plant is expected to go into operation in early 2012, combining Hamlet Protein’s bio-based technology with raw materials supplied by the area’s large soya-farming community. The bioconversion technology from Hamlet is based on minimum energy consumption, no use of chemicals in the manufacturing process and a minimum of waste.
The significant expansion of overall production capacity is consistent with Hamlet Protein’s global expansion strategy and will equip the company to meet growing market demand for its speciality soya proteins for animal feed. The company said the US Mid-West is the perfect location for this expansion, offering easy access to raw materials and an established customer base.
“So far we have focused mainly on piglet feed, and we have experienced a high level of acceptance of our proteins in North America. With the trend we see in the market, we are confident that our timing is right,” says Chief Executive Officer, Søren Munch.
“Through our new sales and production organisation, we will be able to provide a much improved service to customers in the NAFTA region,” Munch continues.
Hamlet Protein’s products are recognized as an efficient sustainable alternative to fishmeal. The increasing constraints on fishmeal availability are a major factor behind the company’s increasing sales.
Another is the growing focus on reducing the use of antibiotics in North American feed.
“Using high quality ingredients such as Hamlet’s range of proteins can help lessen the need for medication in feed,” states Chief Commercial Officer, Søren Bank.
Although the majority of sales in North America currently go to the piglet feed sector, Bank sees an opportunity to develop more sales to manufacturers of poultry, calf and aquafeed as well as pet food.
“We see a strongly increasing demand for high-quality, sustainable protein sources across a wide range of young animal feed applications. With our new organisation, we will be able to provide feed manufacturers across all segments with nutrition and feed optimization support,” he said.
