March 7, 2011
ForFarmers develops in southern Netherlands
The Netherlands'' second largest feed cooperative, ForFarmers, has attained four hectares of land in the town of Oss, in the south of the country, which will be used to establish a new feed processing plant eventually.
The block of land has direct access to the river Meuse, which permits for receiving vessels up to 3,000 tonnes. It is also located close to the main highways.
The purchase suits ForFarmers long term planning to advance growth in the south of the Netherlands. Last year''s turnover in the area rose by 22%. It is also a unique step in the Dutch saturated feed milling industry to construct a new plant.
Headquarters and main feed plant of ForFarmers is in Lochem, in the centre-east of the country, and logistics has become a cost problem for supplying farmers in the south. The new plant will enhance efficiency in supplying these farmers.
The cooperative did not provide more information about the new plant, but it said that it will be a factory using the most modern technology. In terms of efficiency, it is assumed that the plant will produce approximately 300,000 tonnes annually.
Competition in the south will become stronger, since ForFarmers is entering the area of Cehave-Landbouwbelang, the largest cooperative in the Netherlands, which has a manufacturing plant in Veghel, near Oss.
ForFarmers employs about 800 people and had a turnover of EUR3.5 billion (US$4.89 billion) in 2009 and sold 2.7 million tonnes of feed in that year. The company operates feed mills in the Netherlands and Germany.