Centurion Poultry Acquires Pureline Genetics
US - Centurion Poultry, Inc of Lexington, Georgia, has purchased all the Connecticut-based assets, genetic stock and trade names from Pureline Genetics LLC.
7 January 2009
3 minute read
This purchase, which was effective from 1 January 2009, will mark a return to the broiler breeding business of Centurion Poultry. In 1991, Centurion briefly entered the broiler breeding business when it took over the assets of Hypeco USA Inc. and continued to market broiler genetics under the 'Avico' trade name until the company decided to concentrate on the further development of its market for layer breeding stock and exited the broiler business in 1993.
Pureline Genetics was started as a primary breeding company by Henry Saglio in 2000. In 2004, a venture capital group invested additional funds to allow the company to make a strong start as a supplier of breeding stock to the broiler industry. For several reasons, it did not result in a strong market penetration the company had hoped for. As a result of accumulating losses and disappointing sales, the investors decided to divest themselves from the poultry breeding.
Gijs Schimmel, President of Centurion said, "We are very pleased with the opportunities this acquisition of the Pureline Genetics assets is giving us. It is a perfect fit with the plan adopted in early 2008 to further diversify within the 'feather branch'.
"Pureline Genetics has a fantastic diverse gene pool and in the years to come we expect to be able to make significant inroads into the broiler industry with 'fitting' genetics," he added.
While there will be very few operational changes at its base in Preston, Connecticut, Dominic Saglio (Location Manager) and Harris Wright (Director of Genetic Research) will continue to manage the operations.
However, there will be an overhaul in the domestic and international marketing and customer support departments, which is expected to be completed by the summer of 2009.
Centurion Poultry Inc. is a family-owned company, primarily involved in the production and sale of breeding stock and commercial egg layer chicks to the egg industry. Headquartered in Lexington, Georgia, the Company has satellite locations in Alabama, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.
