Devro

Devro plc

Type	Public limited company
Traded as	LSE: DVO
Industry	Food processing
Founded	1962
Headquarters	Moodiesburn, Chryston, Scotland
Key people	Peter Page (CEO), Steve Hannam (Chairman)
Products	Collagen sausage and cooked meat casings; collagen films and casings for the medical and cosmetics industries
Revenue	£237.0 million (2010)[1]
Operating income	£38.2 million (2010)[1]
Profit	£42.2 million (2010)[1]
Employees	2,111 (2010)[1]
Website	www.devro.plc.uk

Devro plc is a multinational company based in Moodiesburn, Chryston, Scotland which manufactures and distributes goods derived from collagen, principally sausage casings, a product in which it is the world leader.^[2][3] The firm also produces films, casings and other specialised collagen products for use in the health care and cosmetics industries. The company has been listed on the London Stock Exchange since 1993 and was added to the FTSE 250 Index in August 2010.

History

Devro was founded as a new business of Johnson & Johnson in 1962 after its researchers developed a material suitable for the manufacture of sausage casings from collagen.^[4] The business name was devised as an acronym of "Development and Research Organisation", the Johnson & Johnson unit from which it emerged.^[4]

The firm was subject to a £108 million management buyout from J&J in 1991 and was listed on the London Stock Exchange two years later. In 1996 it acquired the American firm Teepak International for US$135 million, including its majority stake in the Czech company Cutisin.^[5] The Czech unit was fully acquired in 2004.^[4] In the same year the company opened a thin film manufacturing facility in Hamilton, Scotland, but this was sold off in 2007.^[6]

In early 2007 Devro engaged in talks with an undisclosed suitor, rumoured to be its then-largest shareholder Acomita Investment (a vehicle controlled by John Magnier), over a takeover of the company. The talks were however terminated after an agreement could not be reached on issues relating to its pension scheme.^[7]

The company was promoted to the FTSE 250 Index on 27 August 2010 after the acquisition of Arriva by Deutsche Bahn was completed.^[8]

Operations

Some 1,450 of Devro's 2,100 employees are based in Europe, with the majority of these at manufacturing and research and development facilities in Jilemnice and Slavkov in the Czech Republic.^[1] Devro headquarters are based in Moodiesburn, Scotland; significant facilities are also located in Bellshill, Scotland, close to the firm's headquarters. The company's other manufacturing and technical plants are located in Sandy Run, South Carolina in the United States and Bathurst, New South Wales in Australia.^[1] The firm also has sales offices in Germany, Russia, Hong Kong, Japan and New Zealand.^[1]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} "Annual Report 2010". Devro. http://www.devro.plc.uk/documents/annual_report_and_accounts_2010.pdf. Retrieved 23 April 2011. 
2. ^ Liew, Jonathan (4 August 2009). "Devro boosted by shortage of guts". The Daily Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/5972375/Devro-boosted-by-shortage-of-guts.html. Retrieved 2 September 2010. 
3. ^ Bolger, Andrew (3 August 2010). "Improved productivity lifts Devro’s profits". Financial Times. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/09e70b42-9eec-11df-931a-00144feabdc0.html. Retrieved 2 September 2010. 
4. ^ ^{a b c} "Corporate profile > History". Devro. http://www.devro.plc.uk/corporate_profile/26.asp. Retrieved 2 September 2010. 
5. ^ Dinger, Ed (2006). "Devro plc". International Directory of Company Histories. The Gale Group. http://www.answers.com/topic/devro-plc. Retrieved 2 September 2010. 
6. ^ Rutherford, Hamish (29 December 2007). "Devro returns to its roots as film arm sold". The Scotsman. http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/business/Devro-returns-to-its-roots.3627082.jp. Retrieved 2 September 2010. 
7. ^ Neuber, Kerstin (13 April 2007). "Devro says offer talks have ended". Reuters. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKL1344316420070413. Retrieved 2 September 2010. 
8. ^ "Arriva PLC (UK): Scheme of Arrangement - Changes In FTSE Indices". FTSE Group. 24 August 2010. http://www.ftse.com/tech_notices/2010/Q3/29370_20100824_Arriva.jsp. Retrieved 2 September 2010. 

External links

• Official website