Delacon

Delacon Biotechnik GmbH
Type	Private
Industry	Agriculture, Feed Additives
Founder	Helmut Dedl
Headquarters	Engerwitzdorf, Austria
Area served	Europe, Middle East, North America, Asia-Pacific and Latin America
Key people	Markus Dedl; (CEO)
Products	Phytogenic Feed Additives
Subsidiaries	Delacon Poland ; Delacon Hungary ; Delacon Russia ; Delacon France ; Delacon USA ; Delacon Chile ; Fitotek Chile ; Delacon PNRC spol.s.r.o.
Website	delacon.com

Delacon Biotechnik Ges.m.b.H. is a multinational feed additive[1][2] company headquartered in Engerwitzdorf, near Linz, Austria. The company develops and manufactures phytogenic[3] feed additives on a sound scientific basis, delivering benefits to producers, animals, consumers, and the environment. Delacon pioneered the development of phytogenic feed additives in the 1980s, coined the term ‘phytogenic feed additives`[4] and is the globally leading expert and producer in this field. Currently, the company develops solutions for poultry, swine, ruminants and aqua.

Markus Dedl CEO Delacon

Delacon conducts research in company-owned facilities[5] and collaborates with independent institutes and universities around the globe. New products are formulated based on fundamental research on the bio-efficacy of phytogenic actives. In field trials with customers, product performance is proven under regional conditions.

Delacon operates a production facility in Steyregg, Austria. From here, Delacon distributes its products through its global network of subsidiaries, regional offices, and exports to about 80 countries worldwide; its main markets are Europe and Middle East, North America, Asia-Pacific and Latin America.

History

Helmut Dedl

Founder

1984: Phytogenic feed additive research begins in Austria.
1988: Delacon Biotechnik Ges.m.b.H. is founded in Steyregg, Austria, by Helmut Dedl. A new category of feed additives - phytogenics - is introduced to the market and the production facility is opened.
2000: Delacon is being certified by ISO 9001 quality management standard and the HACCP (Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points) concept is implemented.
2001: A patented micro-encapsulation technology is introduced into Delacon products.
2003: Delacon expands globally, Asia Pacific Regional Office is founded. The company receives certifications (QS-partner, GMP-13/QC, EU Regulation 178/2002) and its products are organic farming certified under EU Regulation 2002/91.
2006: First Performing Nature Symposium is organized in Vienna.
2009: The 2nd Performing Nature Symposium is held on the Greek island Crete to celebrate Delacon’s 20th anniversary.
Performing Nature Research Center Broiler section
2010: Handing-over of daily management to Markus Dedl and founding of Delacon China.
2011: Delacon opens its own Performing Nature Research Center in the Czech Republic.
2012: Fresta® F is approved for use by the EU, and is the world’s first phytogenic zootechnical feed additive.
2013: Delacon celebrates its 25th anniversary along with a further enlargement of the production facilities, enabling production capacities to be tripled.
2014: Delacon hosts its 3rd Performing Nature Symposium, featuring more than 350 guests, including customers, distributors, leading scientists, economists, and industry leaders of the feed sector. Delacon introduces a new corporate design at EuroTier 2014.
2015: Research and Development, Product Management and Innovation teams are united within the division ‘Product & Innovation’.
2016: For the second time, Delacon receives a positive EFSA opinion, this time for the poultry product Biostrong® 510 EC.[6] Delacon enters a strategic partnership with PMI Nutritional Additives, a business unit of Land O ‘Lakes in the USA.[7]
2017: Biostrong® 510 EC is authorized as zootechnical feed additive by the European Commission.[8] Delacon enters a strategic partnership with Cargill, including a minority equity investment.[9]

Regulatory affairs

In February 2012, the European Union announced[10] Fresta® F as an approved zootechnical feed additive for weaned piglets. This regulatory category is restricted to products whose performance claims are tested and proven. A thorough evaluation of product safety, quality and efficacy by the European Food Safety Authority, the European Union Reference Laboratory, the EU Commission and 27 EU Member States. This product[11] is the first phytogenic product in the world to meet the standards of proven performance[12] set out by European Union regulators.

In March 2017, Delacon received the zootechnical authorization for a second feed additive: Biostrong® 510 EC for chicken and minor avian species, both for fattening and until the point of lay. Again, the safety for animals, workers, consumers, and the environment as well as the efficacy in improving animal performance has been confirmed for a Delacon product.[13]

Innovation and research

Delacon has introduced a continuous innovation process that aligns the needs from customers, target animals, technology, and production with the long-term strategy for new product development. Currently, the Products and Innovation division conducts basic and applied research with universities and research institutes worldwide, with a global recognition as well as in Delacons own Performing Nature Research Center (PNRC). The focus of research is on animal health, performance, on reducing environmental impact of livestock production[14] such as reduced ammonia and methane; and improving animal welfare.[15]

To ensure that products are developed based on sound scientific knowledge on bio-efficacy and modes of action of phytogenic actives, Delacon invests around ten percent of the annual turnover[16] in the Products and Innovation division. In selection of phytogenic actives, Delacon focuses on natural ingredients to fully use the synergies between actives.

Performing Nature Research Center Czech Republic

Performing Nature Research Center

To meet a growing internal and external demand for high quality controlled animal studies, Delacon opened its Performing Nature Research Center (PNRC) in 2011.[17][18][19] The company-owned facility is used to develop and evaluate new phytogenic substances and formulations with poultry and pigs. The facility is equipped with a spot mix feeding system, a section for layers, for broilers, as well as climate chambers for measurements of aerial emission of ammonia and methane from livestock production.

The focus of Delacon’s trials is to collect and evaluate data on new phytogenic substances, and product applications. It further investigates effects on nutrient digestibility and utilization, reduction of gaseous emissions, effects of phytogenic feed additives on animal health, all being linked to the animals’ performance. Delacon’s PNRC is located in Czech Republic.[20]

References

Wolfgang Wetscherek, „Phytogenic Feed Additives in Piglet Rearing“, Kraftfutter/Feedmagazine, Austria
Erich Brenner and Christian Jörg, 03-2012. „Schluss mit Antibiotika im Tierfutter“ . Gewinn. Austria
Emmy Koeleman, 13/10/2009, “Phytogenics: More than sensory additives”, Feed Tech, International
Delacon. "Phytogenic feed additives". www.delacon.com. Retrieved 2017-08-17.
Delacon. "PNRC - Performing Nature Research Center". www.delacon.com. Retrieved 2017-08-17.
"Delacon - positive EFSA opinion for phytogenic". AllAboutFeed. Retrieved 2017-08-17.
"Land O'Lakes, Delacon partner to test feed additives". Retrieved 2017-08-17.
"The Interview - Markus Dedl, Chief Executive Officer, Delacon". gfmt.blogspot.co.at. Retrieved 2017-08-17.
Delacon. "Delacon and Cargill announce strategic equity investment". Retrieved 2017-08-17.
"Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 131/2012", 16.2.2012, Official Journal of the European Union [EN], L 43/15-16
"Delacon's first phytogenic feed additive approved by EFSA", 27-01.2012, www.allaboutfeed.net, International
"Delacon phytogenic feed additive FRESTA F". www.wattagnet.com. Retrieved 2017-08-17.
FeedNavigator.com. "Botanicals player pulls off second regulatory coup". FeedNavigator.com. Retrieved 2017-08-17.
Eduard Zentner and Irene Mösenbacher, "Possibilities for emission reduction",VÖS, Austria
"Phytogenics' Role in Animal Wellness - Page 2 of 3 - Food Quality & Safety". Food Quality & Safety. Retrieved 2017-08-17.
"Delacon and Cargill announce strategic equity investment | Cargill". www.cargill.com. Retrieved 2017-08-17.
Phillippe Caldier, 04-2012. " Un nouveau centre de rechere pour Delacon". La revue de l’alimentation animale. France
"Delacon Biotechnik opens animal feed research centre", 11-09-2011, www.allaboutfeed.net
Jana Velechovská, 30-01-2012. "Otevřeli vlastní výzkumné centrum". Zemědělec. Czech republic
"Delacon opens new research facility in Czech Republic". PoultryWorld. Retrieved 2017-08-17.