DSM acquires coating specialist
Specialties has acquired the food coatings activities of Vaessen
Schoemaker of Portugal.
The dairy ingredients business unit of Holland-based DSM Food Specialties has acquired the food coatings activities of Vaessen Schoemaker of Portugal.
Vaessen Schoemaker's Vascoplast coatings brand will be retained, expanding DSM's existing portfolio and providing customers with a wider selection of solutions, together with the backing of a strong brand.
In a press statement, DSM said that the acquisition will strengthen the organisation and enhance its presence in the Iberian peninsula. The move fits with DSM's strategy to expand activity in food coatings across applications including meat and cheese.
The acquisition means that coatings customers in Spain and Portugal will now be able to choose from an expanded range of products and the support and investment of a large, global organisation. A team of local DSM support specialists will be based in Barcelona, and all sales and technical service activities related to dairy ingredients for the Iberian Penninsula will be managed from this office.
Vascoplast is an established brand name that has been in the market since the mid 1970s. With the acquisition of Vascoplast, DSM complements its broad selection of tailored coating systems, including products for the surface treatment of cheese such as Superdex and Delvocoat. For the surface treatment of dry, fermented sausages, DSM offers a meat coating assortment under the PremiCoat umbrella.
As well as their important role in food safety and surface protection, coatings preserve organoleptic properties, enhance presentation and ensure consumer appeal through a standardised appearance.
DSM has launched itself into an acquisitive phase of late, having also recently announced the acquisition of Swiss-based Roche's Vitamins and Fine Chemicals Division, one of the world's leading suppliers of vitamins.
Recently announced profits for the second quarter revealed that DSM's earnings had risen 12 per cent compared to the previous quarter, whereas earnings for the first quarter were up a hefty 26 per cent. On the back of such results industry observers believe that there is room for further acquisitions, both within Europe and internationally.
DSM is active worldwide in life science products, performance materials and industrial chemicals. The group has annual sales of close to €6 billion and employs about 20,000 people at more than 200 sites across the world.
