Big player from a small country

With just under 5.5 mio inhabitants, Denmark is a fairly small country, but some Danish firms have had a big impact on the pet supplies business. Eldorado with its subsidiaries Akva Stabil and E-Vet is one such company. Based in Haderslev, the three firms employ 100 people and market their products in 45 countries. Apart from Denmark, the group’s key sales markets include Sweden, Norway, Germany, Italy, Great Britain, Austria and Switzerland. In Denmark and Sweden the companies operate field sales teams comprising eleven and four people respectively, and these are directly responsible for looking after customers. In the other countries, customers in the pet supplies trade are supplied with goods by distributors and wholesalers. Since 2008 the group of companies has been the responsibility of Per Lausen, the son of Birgit and Borge Lausen. The group’s operating procedures have been updated on an ongoing basis in the last few years. One new feature, according to Per Lausen, is a picking system called “pick to voice”. “All staff in the warehouse wear a headset and a receiver/transmitter and are guided around in the warehouse for the most effective picking of each individual order,” he explains. Because the company invests continuously in optimising its logistics system, it is able to handle considerably more products than a few years ago using the same number of staff. Eldorado has grown steadily in recent years. In 2003 the company celebrated its 40th anniversary with the construction of a modern 10 000 m2 warehouse, including administrative offices. Just three years later, the warehouse was enlarged by a further 2 500 m2. The company has also expanded its range steadily over the last few years, and in addition to “Tetra”, “Eheim”, “Sicce”, “AM-Top”, “Feller Stone” and “Dohse” Eldorado now distributes the brands “Trixie”, “Imac”, “Ever Clean”, “iMARC”, “Savic”, “Iams” and “Eukanuba” in Denmark. Equestrian products also form part of the range and include the company’s private label “Catago”. Eldorado supplies 250 pet stores in Denmark along with a number of equestrian businesses and approx. 1 000 breeders. Strong growth in eastern Europe According to Per Lausen, Eldorado accounts for 75 per cent of the group’s overall sales. He nevertheless points out that the two other companies, Akva Stabil and E-Vet, which covers the veterinary sector, are exhibiting a positive growth trend. Akva Stabil produces aquariums, lighting, furniture for aquariums and aquarium…