Feb. 21, 2013, Amsterdam – Breeding and young plant production companies Dümmen and Agribio Group have announced plans to merge.
Feb. 21, 2013, Amsterdam – Breeding and young plant production companies Dümmen and Agribio Group have announced plans to merge.
The combination will profit from the advanced breeding technologies of Agribio Group and the professional supply chain skills of Dümmen . Customers will benefit from a complete product portfolio, while retaining the close-to-customer attitude for which both companies are known.
The North American operations of Agribio Group (including Oro Farms and Ecke) will be brought under the leadership of the Dümmen division.
Based in Germany, Dümmen has a strong reputation in poinsettia and spring annuals like geraniums, while Dutch based Agribio Group is strong in products as chrysanthemum, carnation, rose and Calandiva®.
The intended merger will create a breeding company with a unique international production and sales network and a broad assortment of cut flowers, pot and bedding plants.
FOCUS ON INNOVATION
The new company will have the scale to lead innovation through extensive research and development and create added value for growers, brokers, retailers and consumers. The combined company will have around 6,000 employees worldwide and has annual sales of about $236 million (Cdn).
The Dümmen family and management and H2 Equity Partners will be the shareholders of the new company.
The proposed merger is driven by a rapidly changing business environment in the worldwide floricultural industry. Retailers are becoming increasingly important and growers are consolidating, leading to a desire for more value add in the chain, and increased professionalism in the industry.
ADVANCED BREEDING TECHNIQUES
Advanced breeding techniques are becoming available in the floricultural industry, albeit with high investments in R&D. Breeding companies need sufficient size to cope with these developments and make sure they can offer long-term value to the chain.
The new company will follow a growth strategy and is committed to continuously invest in R&D, product quality and marketing to ensure the highest level of quality and service to its customers.
The new company will have two independent divisions. The Agribio division will be responsible for cut flowers and potted plants, and the Dümmen division will be responsible for bedding plants and poinsettia.
• The Agribio division will be headed by Harry Kloppenburg, currently CEO of Agribio Group.
• The Dümmen division will be headed by Tobias Dümmen and Perry Wismans, current board members of Dümmen.
“For the Dümmen family, this is an important step to add global market presence for our company, add value for our customers, and increase development opportunities for our employees,” said Tobias Dümmen.
“We consider this to be a major project, which needs careful attention in the execution. We are committed to retaining our family values and our grower-to-grower attitude focused on delivering top quality at the right terms."
Harry Kloppenburg said that ever since Agribio became independent in 2010, “we have actively pursued a growth strategy focused on complementing our portfolio and market presence. Because of this merger we are virtually capable of offering the full range of products in all continents.”
ABOUT DUMMEN
Dümmen has started with a small greenhouse in the late 1960s. It has grown to one of the leading young plant producers and breeders of bedding plants and poinsettia worldwide. Key markets are Europe and North America. In total, Dümmen operates more than 75 hectares of greenhouses and produces more than 350 million cuttings.
ABOUT AGRIBIO GROUP
Agribio Group is active in 56 countries and trades over one billion cuttings per year. The company is a global top-three player in terms of breeding and vegetative propagation of plants and flowers. The Agribio Group includes top breeding companies such as Fides, Ecke, Japan Agribio, Barberet & Blanc, Bartels Stek and Lex+.
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