By Lynda Kiernan
Sustainable food chain investor Paine Schwartz Partners announced the establishment of a new Animal Health & Nutrition Investment (AH&N) investment platform, anchored by an undisclosed investment through its Paine Schwartz Food Chain Fund IV in Warburton Technology, a producer of trace mineral injections for cattle and the developer and owner of Multimin 90.
The platform will also include MS Biotec – a company Paine Schwartz invested in in October 2018, and which is the world’s first and only commercial producer of Megasphaera elsdenii, a lactate-utilizing probiotic that enables feedlots to accelerate cattle from roughage to high-concentrate diets.
Utilizing a new state-of-the-art production facility located in Wamego, Kansas, MS Biotec® has developed a proprietary anaerobic fermentation and formulations that maximize performance, raising profitability for operators in both the beef feedlot and dairy markets.
Based in Ireland, Warburton is also globally unique in that it is the world’s first and only marketer of Multimin 90, a patented prescription injectable solution providing supplemental zinc, copper, selenium, and manganese for cattle.
“The strategic use of combination injectable trace minerals is an exciting development in animal health,” said Eithna O’Leary, managing director, Warburton Technology. “Cooperating with Paine Schwartz, we can bring Multimin® to new markets and build further new products that help contribute to optimal animal health, performance and wellbeing. We are very thankful to the team that has brought us to this point and excited for all involved about what the future holds.”
Global Reach
Colorado-based Warburton subsidiary Multimin USA brought the product into the U.S. market, and it has also launched in the UK, Ireland, and France, and is currently awaiting approval in additional European and global markets.
“We are pleased to partner with Paine Schwartz and to become part of the AH&N platform,” said Lourens Havenga, president and CEO, Multimin® USA. “We will benefit from Paine Schwartz’s resources and agribusiness industry experience and operating expertise.”
“We will also have the ability to collaborate with the team at MS Biotec® and expand the market opportunities for both companies. I would like to thank my team at Multimin® USA for all they have done to build this great company and am excited for us to bring Multimin® into its next phase of growth.”
Solid Leadership
Animal health industry veteran William (Bill) Weldon PhD. has been named to the role of CEO of the AH&N platform. With a 20-plus year career at Elanco Animal Health, Weldon brings a wealth of experience in both cattle, and in evaluating and integrating technology companies. For eight years he led Elanco’s Global R&D and Regulatory organization, and later created and ran the Elanco Nutritional Health Business unit. He also led Elanco’s Western Europe Commercial Operations from 2013 – 2014.
Moving forward, Eithna O’Leary will continue as managing director of Warburton Technology, Lourens Havenga will continue in the role of CEO for Multimin USA, and Leander van der Walt will continue as head of MC Biotec.
“It is an honor to lead this innovative new platform, comprising two highly complementary companies that form a global cattle platform focused on non-antibiotic solutions to alleviate difficult health and production challenges,” said Weldon. “These companies have significant growth potential that can be achieved through the support of the agribusiness investing leader Paine Schwartz.”
“With this platform, we will be able to capture the tremendous opportunities in the animal health market by building on the strengths of Multimin® and MS Biotec® and driving their mutual growth. I look forward to working with the team at Paine Schwartz, as well as with Eithna, Lourens, Leander and the employees of Multimin® and MS Biotec®, as we grow this exciting new animal health focused investment platform.”
– Lynda Kiernan is Editor with GAI Media and daily contributor to the GAI News and Agtech Intel platforms. If you would like to submit a contribution for consideration, please contact Ms. Kiernan at lkiernan@globalaginvesting.