Dutch feed giant buys BOCM Pauls

BOCM Pauls has been taken over by a leading Dutch animal feed supplier.

ForFarmers Group, which has its head office in The Netherlands will buy all shares of BOCM Pauls in a deal worth €85m, subject to approval by the EU competition authorities.

The new group will be the largest animal feeds supplier in Europe, supplying a total of 8.8m tonnes of feeds, of which 6.5m tonnes is compounded and 2.3m tonnes is straights and by-products. It will employ 2,500 people, with a turnover of €6.6bn.

BOCM Pauls has a GB market share of around 20%, supplying more than 1.9m tonnes of feed from 11 feed mills and seven other blended feeds plants.

Chief executive Bill Mayne said the financial strength of the new group and scale of its operations would create competitive advantage and benefit employees and customers alike.

Following the takeover, BOCM will be managed by the current management team and operate as the UK feed company of ForFArmers Group, trading with a “high degree of autonomy”, he said.

“This new direction for BOCM Pauls comes at a time of renewed opportunity for the UK food and farming industry and provides the company with the resources and financial strength to ensure its future success as part of the number one company in Europe and one of the largest feed companies in the world.”

ForFarmers Group chief executive Bert-Jan Ruumpol said the acquisition was a major step in the international growth ambitions of the group and would provide opportunities for all involved.