Devro facts for kids
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| Private limited company | |
| Traded as | LSE: DVO |
| Industry | Food processing |
| Founded | 1950 |
| Headquarters | Moodiesburn, Chryston, United Kingdom |
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Key people
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Rutger Helbing (CEO), Gerard Hoetmer (Chairman) |
| Products | Collagen sausage and cooked meat casings; collagen films and casings for the medical and cosmetics industries |
| Revenue | £241.1 million (2016) |
| Owner | SARIA |
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Number of employees
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2,174 (2015) |
Devro plc is a company based in the United Kingdom that makes products from collagen. Collagen is a natural protein found in animals. Devro is especially known for making sausage casings, which are the outer "skin" of sausages. They are a world leader in this product!
The company also creates special collagen films and casings for other uses. These can be found in the healthcare industry, like for medical supplies, and in the cosmetics industry, for beauty products. In 2023, another company called SARIA bought Devro.
Contents
The Story of Devro
How Devro Started
Devro began in the 1950s as a new part of a big company called Johnson & Johnson. Scientists there discovered how to make a material from collagen that was perfect for sausage casings.
The name "Devro" comes from "Development and Research Organisation." This was the name of the Johnson & Johnson team that created the new material.
Becoming an Independent Company
In 1991, Devro became an independent company. Its managers bought it from Johnson & Johnson for £108 million. This is called a management buyout.
Two years later, in 1993, Devro's shares were listed on the London Stock Exchange. This meant people could buy and sell parts of the company.
Growing Bigger
Devro grew by buying other companies. In 1996, they bought an American company called Teepak International. This deal also included a large part of a Czech company called Cutisin. Devro fully bought Cutisin in 2004.
In 2000, Devro sold a part of its business that made cellulose products.
Changes and New Leadership
In 2010, Devro joined the FTSE 250 Index. This is a list of 250 important companies whose shares are traded on the London Stock Exchange.
Later, in 2015, Devro bought a Dutch company called PVI Industries. This company also made collagen products.
Peter Page, who had been the Chief Executive for almost 11 years, left his role in 2018. He was known for helping the company improve a lot. Rutger Helbing, who used to be the company's Finance Director, took over as the new Chief Executive.
Being Bought by SARIA
In November 2022, Devro agreed to be bought by SARIA Bio-Industries AG & Co. KG for £540 million. The deal was completed in April 2023.
Where Devro Works
Devro has about 2,200 employees around the world. About 1,450 of them work in Europe. Many of these employees are at factories and research centers in the Czech Republic, in towns like Jilemnice and Slavkov.
Devro's main headquarters are in Moodiesburn, Scotland.
The company's biggest factory is in Nantong, China. Other factories and technical centers are located in:
- Jilemnice, Czech Republic
- Sandy Run, South Carolina in the United States
- Bathurst, New South Wales in Australia
Devro also has sales offices in several other countries. These include Germany, Russia, Hong Kong, Japan, and New Zealand.
