“Our growth is based above all on new products”

Beaphar employs more than 400 staff, over half of whom, 245 in all, are based in the Netherlands. The company is thus a significant employer in its native country. While its administrative offices and production facilities are located in and around Raalte, the company distributes its 600 or so different products to the Dutch pet product trade from Hedel, where it has a warehouse with a capacity of 2 500 pallets. Responsibility for its Dutch customers lies with six field sales staff and three key account managers, backed by an internal service team of three.Henk Aa and his son Daan.The takeover of its former competitor Bogena eight years ago further enhanced Beaphar's market position in the Netherlands. Since Bogena marketed almost the same product groups as Beaphar, its products have gradually been brought under the umbrella of the main "Beaphar" brand. The former Bogena brand "Fitami", covering a range of around 150 accessories for a large supermarket chain, is still on the market. Other than this, Beaphar supplies exclusively the speciality trade.Research and development are accorded a high priority at Beaphar.The company recently divided its activities between two separate firms. The production company trades as Aafarma BV, while Beaphar BV is responsible for distribution. One of Beaphar's intentions in splitting up its divisions is to create a clear distinction between its branded business and the growing private label business. Since Beaphar is one of only three veterinary medicine suppliers to have medicinal product registrations for all European countries, the company foresees good market opportunities for itself in the private label business. In spite of this, there is no doubt in Raalte that the branded products trade will continue to take priority in the future too. Beaphar profits from its wealth of innovations, and the R&D department in Raalte with its modern equipment and staff of 18 is at the heart of the company. "Our growth is based above all on new products and innovations with regard to existing products," director Daan Aa explains. The company goes to great efforts to develop production techniques that not everyone can copy.Dutch customers are supplied from the modern distribution centre in Hedel.Beaphar is following with great interest the current efforts in Brussels to formulate European legislation for freely available medicines. "Everything that is now on the market as a biological medicine must be registered from August 2006 or…