Enza Zaden expands on a large scale in South Africa

Enza Zaden is expanding on a large scale with two new branches in South Africa: one a joint venture in the field of Research & Development and the other a seed production branch.

Westcape Biotech Pty. Ltd.

On 18 July 2012, the vegetable breeding company Enza Zaden and the biotechnology company Expressive Research B.V. signed the contract for a joint venture named Westcape Biotech Pty. Ltd, based in Stellenbosch, South Africa. Enza Zaden is thus significantly expanding its capacity for cell and tissue cultivation activities in particular.

This joint venture will offer its cell and tissue cultivation expertise in the field of all major arable and ornamental crops to clients worldwide. In addition, this new branch will carry out biotechnological research for clients in the field of molecular diagnostics relating to pathogens and product quality in a broad range of crops.

More efficient breeding

The Director of Enza Zaden Research & Development B.V., drs. Joep Lambalk explains: “With the establishment of Westcape, Enza Zaden has considerably broadened its capacity for its activities in cell and tissue cultivation. Consequently, we are able to provide our breeders worldwide with even better support by means of products drawn from cell and tissue cultivation processes. The effectiveness and efficiency of the breeding process is hereby greatly expanded. We are now also able to exploit our expertise with regard to these processes beyond vegetable crops, benefiting various important arable and ornamental crops too.”

Expansion of expertise and activities

The Directors of Expressive Research, Dr Dianne van der Kop and Dr Douwe de Boer add: “We have built a good infrastructure at the site with state-of-the-art molecular and cell-biology laboratories, which together with our plant-growth facilities give a high-tech impulse to our ambition to play a leading role locally as a biotechnological service provider. The expertise and network of Enza Zaden allows us to support our expertise and activities in South Africa even better. As a result, we expect strong growth in our activities over the coming years.”

Enza Zaden South Africa

To support the seed production activities of Enza Zaden Seed Operations B.V. in South Africa, on 29 February 2012 Enza Zaden established in Oudtshoorn its own subsidiary Enza Zaden South Africa.
The Director of Enza Zaden Seed Operations B.V., ir. Vincent van Bentum, explains further: “Enza Zaden South Africa brings greater flexibility and independence. In order to be able to deal with the expected growth of our seed production activities in South Africa, we need to be on the spot ourselves with our own company activity”.

About Expressive Research

Expressive Research is an innovative company with shares in several biotechnological businesses. Besides cell and tissue cultivation, the company is active in the field of molecular diagnostics, for instance by means of a joint venture with the fruit cooperative Fruitmasters (Fruitmasters Expressive Research) and in genomic breeding and bio-informatics by means of a joint venture with a number of breeding companies in the vegetable and ornamentals sectors (Genetwister Technologies).

Source: Enza Zaden