Dear colleagues,
Enjoy reading the SARIA Global Newsletter no. 2/2025.
Behind the red buttons are websites with automatic translations.
SARIA Ingredients & Energy contains the activities of ReFood, SecAnim, Biofuels (ecoMotion & TESSAF), SARVAL Dry, SARVAL Wet and Bioceval in the field of collection and processing organic and animal by-products into new sources of energy, animal feed and other valuable materials.
- Interview on the divisional strategy process
- SARVAL and SecAnim UK: digital innovation with ERP system
- ReFood Germany's new depackaging system
- ReFood Poland's fresh marketing in action
- ReFood UK: new legislation brings new opportunities
- SecAnim Denmark upgrades wastewater treatment plant
- SARIA France on French television
SARIA Food & Pharma combines the activities of Van Hessen, Devro and Bioiberica in the field of natural casings, collagen-based edible films and coatings, as well as pharmaceutical active ingredients. The latest topics are:
- SARIA Food & Pharma appoints new HR Director
- Van Hessen and Devro in Japan
- Devro Management Team visits Nantong site
- Bioiberica celebrates 50th anniversary
Decision on the names of the BUs
The business units (BUs) for processing animal by-products of category 3 have been named. The name Bioceval will be used for the fish-processing activities. The meat-processing activities are listed in the internal organizational structure under the names SARVAL Dry (country-driven BU) and SARVAL Wet (independet BU). Externally, the two BUs will be presented under the SARVAL brand. Sinova will no longer be used.
The nine BUs within the SARIA Group combine our operational activities and businesses and have been organized into two divisions since September 2024.
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No. 02/2025
SARIA Food & Pharma appoints new HR Director
SARIA Food & Pharma is pleased to announce the appointment of Nico Swart as the new Group HR Director of the division, effective 1 May 2025.
Nico brings a wealth of international HR leadership experience to the organization, having held senior roles across multiple industries, including agriculture, manufacturing, professional services, and IT. Most recently, he served as Group HR Director at Royal Agrifirm Group, a leading agricultural cooperative. He also serves on the Supervisory Board of Royal GD Animal Health, a respected institution focused on advancing animal health and husbandry through independent consultancy, research, and health programs. Nico holds a Master’s degree in Strategy & Organizational Studies and a Bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management, and has completed executive education in General Management at INSEAD in France. Originally from the Netherlands, Ned lives with his family in a small village in the south of the country.
Nico stated: “I am very excited to start in this role and look forward to meeting everyone and working together to build a stronger SARIA Food & Pharma.”
SARIA Food & Pharma looks forward to welcoming Nico into the Division and working together to drive continued growth and success.
Van Hessen and Devro in Japan
In May 2024, Devro and Van Hessen joined forces to expand their presence in the sausage casing business in Japan by welcoming NEW ASIA TRADING CO., LTD. and its colleagues into the SARIA Food & Pharma division.
NEW ASIA had been the largest distributor of Van Hessen natural casings in Japan since 1996, specializing in the highest quality sheep casings for Japanese sausage makers. The company has a plant in Kawanishi, 15 kilometers from Osaka.
Now, almost one year on, the teams are continuing to work closely together – carrying out joint customer visits, regularly exchanging commercial insights, identifying new opportunities, and actively resolving customer queries. A new planning model has also been implemented, enabling the teams to work together more efficiently.
The Van Hessen team has been delivering on-site training to the Devro teams, while the Van Hessen China production team actively supports local teams in the Kawanishi plant. Together the teams collaborate on order placement and production-related matters, ensuring alignment across operations.
In October 2024, the team welcomed Leon Liu as the new Head of the Kawanishi plant. Leon shared his initial impressions and vision for the future: “Devro Japan is the only subsidiary managing both collagen and natural casing businesses, with the Kawanishi plant playing a vital role in processing natural casings. Collaborating with the Van Hessen team, we are focused on delivering the best products to our customers. Together we aim to make the Kawanishi plant stronger than ever and set a benchmark for success in both natural and collagen casing operations.”
This is a real-life example of teamwork and commitment to being individually strong, even better together. Whilst there is still plenty of work to do, the teams are confident that, through continued collaboration they will further strengthen the sales operation and drive sustained profitability.
Devro Management Team visits Nantong site
The Devro Management Team (DMT) led by CEO Harald van Boxtel, recently visited the Devro Nantong site in China. The trip served as an important opportunity to deepen collaboration, align on strategic priorities, and strengthen connections between global and local teams.
Throughout the visit, the DMT held engaging discussions with colleagues from the Supply Chain, R&D, and Commercial functions in China. These exchanges fostered a warm and collaborative atmosphere, reinforcing the shared commitment to the ‘Winning Together’ strategy.
A key highlight of the trip was a Townhall meeting with Nantong site employees. During the session, the DMT shared updates on the company’s strategic priorities—enhancing customer proximity, advancing innovation, and optimizing sourcing and cost leadership. The team also took part in an open Q&A, encouraging conversation and helping to strengthen transparency, alignment, and team spirit.
The DMT toured the site under the guidance of Wendy Li, Nantong Operations Director. The visit offered insight into local production processes and operations. The team were impressed by the site’s efficiency and high standards of management. The DMT also met with representatives from the local Investment Promotion Bureau to explore opportunities for driving economic and industrial growth in the region—an important step in reinforcing Devro’s role as a committed local partner.
The phrase “Nantong Can Do!” perfectly summed up the visit, reflecting the site’s energy and the commitment of its people. With strong leadership and a dedicated team, Nantong is well positioned to contribute to Devro’s global growth and deliver long-term value for employees, partners, and the wider community.
Bioiberica celebrates 50th anniversary
As Bioiberica celebrates its 50th anniversary, Luis Solera, CEO of Bioiberica, reflects on the company’s evolution — from a pioneer in Heparin-API production to a global leader in the biotech industry.
Why has heparin remained indispensable for so many years?
Luis: Heparin is unique because it is not just an anticoagulant but also an antithrombotic agent. It remains indispensable in medical treatments, saving over 100 million lives annually. Almost everyone in the Western world will use heparin at some point, whether during surgery or pregnancy, where it plays a crucial role in preventing blood clots.
Despite its long history, heparin continues to be vital in healthcare. It is often taken for granted, but without it, many medical procedures would be significantly riskier. While the core mechanism of heparin remains unchanged, our focus is on refining its safety, traceability, and effectiveness, ensuring that it remains the gold standard in anticoagulation therapy.
What are the key factors behind Bioiberica’s leadership in the Heparin-API market?
Luis: Today, we are the largest producer of Heparin-API outside China. In the Western world, our APIs are used by major pharmaceutical companies. Our continued leadership is driven by our commitment to innovation and, most importantly, the highest standards of safety and traceability.
Traceability is crucial to our operations. We control every stage of the supply chain, from the farms where the pigs are raised to the slaughterhouses, transportation, and final API production. This rigorous control ensures product safety and quality. Additionally, our circular economy model optimizes raw material usage, as only a small fraction is needed to produce heparin. The rest is utilized for animal and agricultural health products, ensuring sustainability in our supply chain.
In addition to heparin, Bioiberica is known for other biological APIs. How has the demand for these products evolved with the rise of new therapies?
Luis: The demand for biological products is steadily increasing. Heparin, in particular, has shown consistent growth, driven by population expansion and medical advancements. Alongside Heparin-API, we have developed other APIs such as thyroid extracts, glucosamine, and chondroitin sulfate, all of which have proven therapeutic benefits.
Given Bioiberica’s global operations, how prepared is the company to face potential supply chain shocks?
Luis: We are well-prepared for supply chain challenges due to our global manufacturing footprint. Our facilities are strategically located near raw material sources, including the U.S., Brazil, Italy, Germany, Poland, and Spain, as well as in Latin America.
This geographical diversification ensures resilience against disruptions such as the porcine fever outbreak in China a few years ago. By maintaining multiple supply sources, we can guarantee consistent product availability for our customers, regardless of geopolitical or health-related challenges.
Sustainability isn’t often a focus in the pharmaceutical sector, yet Bioiberica has made it a core part of its operations. How?
Luis: Sustainability is at the core of our operations. When extracting biomolecules from animal sources, less than 1% of the raw material is used for APIs. The remaining 99% is repurposed, making efficiency and sustainability critical to our business model.
We transform these byproducts into functional ingredients for animal health and biostimulants for plant health, creating a fully circular bioeconomy. Our goal is to maximize the use of every resource, reducing waste and enhancing sustainability. Today, more than 90% of our co-products are recycled or reused, ensuring long-term environmental and economic viability.
As Bioiberica celebrates its 50th anniversary, where do you see the company heading in the next few years?
Luis: We are on the right track, continuously developing new therapeutic products in partnership with leading companies. While many of these projects are still confidential, they focus on delivering impactful solutions for human, animal, and plant health. Our expertise in extracting biomolecules will remain central to our growth strategy. We also recognize our responsibility in expanding both animal and plant health segments, particularly in reducing chemical use in agriculture. These areas represent key priorities as we continue to innovate and contribute to a more sustainable future.
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