Arla buys Triple F facility

Arla Foods of Arhus, Denmark, through its subsidiary Medipharm, Sweden, and Triple "F", of Des Moines, Iowa have announced a restructuring of their partnership Medipharm USA.

Arla Foods, through its Medipharm division, will purchase Triple "F's" 50 per cent ownership in the Medipharm USA fermentation facility located in Des Moines. In addition to the fermentation facility in Des Moines, Medipharm has production facilities in the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Sweden with the home office located in Kågeröd, Sweden.

Medipharm USA is a basic producer of lactic acid bacteria. Its primary business in the US is as a private label supplier of microbial products for feed, silage and hay inoculants and microbial gels. The sale will allow Triple "F" to focus on its core businesses of processing technology and animal nutrition.

Triple "F", through its PharmTech International Division, is a global resource for the livestock and poultry industry. PharmTech International specialises in confidential private labelling products which range from vitamin and trace mineral premixes, microbial and enzyme mixes, antibiotic blending, speciality pellets and extruded products and a wide range of speciality nutritional products.

Insta-Pro International, the processing technology division of Triple "F", specialises in extrusion equipment, oilseed presses, and oilseed refining equipment. Insta-Pro equipment is in operation in over 90 countries in the world. Insta-Pro has sales offices in the UK, Russia, Taiwan, Mexico, Australia and Des Moines. Insta-Pro has recently developed and introduced technology for small scale oil refining based on its ExPress method of meal and oil separation for human consumption and industrial uses.

According to Triple "F" president, Dr. Leroy J. Hanson, this transaction allows both companies to focus on their areas of expertise in a rapidly consolidating industry. The financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.