International animal health product and brewing company Alltech is to buy the globally successful Irish feed mixer maker, Keenan.
US-based Alltech, also founded by an Irish entrepreneur and scientist, Dr Pearse Lyons, is now headquartered in Kentucky, USA, with almost 100 manufacturing sites globally.
It uses yeast-based technology, nutrigenomics and algae to produce products developed to improve the health and performance of livestock, humans and plants.
Alltech, established in 1980, has made 14 acquisitions in a rapid expansion strategy since 2011 including last year’s purchase of North American stockfeed business Ridley Inc and the Canadian Masterfeeds business.
In Australia since 1997, Alltech provides livestock producers with natural nutritional supplement solutions for performance.
Apart from its mobile feed mixer machinery, Keenan monitors more than a million dairy cows from about 10,000 farms in 25 countries - one of the world’s largest field databases focused on dairy feed efficiency.
The company has evolved since its formation as a farm machinery engineering business in 1978 to combine cutting-edge technological developments with cattle nutritional expertise.
“The Keenan group has long been a friend of Alltech,” said Alltech president, Dr Lyons.
“This is a story about two great Irish globally-minded companies coming together.
“Between Alltech’s primacy in science and Keenan’s manufacturing strength and technological know-how, we have a winning combination for delivering greater farm efficiency and profitability direct to our farming customers.”
Together, Alltech and Keenan would employ nearly close to 5000 staff globally.
Alltech and Keenan had identified possible growth opportunities together, which may include nutritional technologies and feeding programmes focused on feed efficiency and herd health as well as advanced ration formulation.
“As an Irishman, I am delighted to welcome Keenan to our family, because together we can deliver greater value to our global farming customers with a wider variety of technological solutions,” Dr Lyons said.
Alltech was looking for avenues to better deliver the Alltech brand to farmers and provide nutritional solutions to those who directly benefit from their use, whether in animal or crop production.
Keenan will continue to be headquartered in County Carlow in Ireland.