Press releases
Richard Armstrong new Technical & Sales Director
Big Dutchman expands its sales force in China
Big Dutchman is pleased to announce the appointment of Richard Armstrong as Technical & Sales Director for the Poultry Division. He will be based in Beijing Sales Office, China.
Prior to joining Big Dutchman China, Richard has worked as Production Manager/Operational Manager in a variety of companies from grandparent to parent stock in the breeder industry for more than 20 years, and he has achieved solid experience in all aspects of breeders, hatcheries, broilers and farm services and planning. In his last position with Supreme Foods Group in Saudi Arabia, he was in charge of 16 breeder farms and five hatcheries.
“In his new role, Richard will focus on managing the Meat Sales force and develop new business within the region. We look forward to Richard joining our team. His technical background combined with his rich management experience in the Poultry industry, will align us with our plans in offering best support and available solutions to our customers”, said Mr. Brian McCawley, President of Big Dutchman China.
“With the fast growing levels of business activity in the Poultry industry in China, the expansion of its sales force, once again, reflects Big Dutchman’s commitment to the region.”
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Big Dutchman is the world’s largest poultry equipment supplier for modern poultry production. A new field of business is residue treatment. The complete product portfolio of the German family enterprise from Vechta-Calveslage includes all kinds of poultry feeding systems and poultry housing systems. Be it barn, free range and organic egg production or egg production in enriched colony systems and poultry cages, be it systems for optimal poultry climate control or poultry growing, turkey production and breeder management: Big Dutchman offers the best poultry systems imaginable for every type of farm imaginable.
Big Dutchman appoints new Managing Director
Philip Dye to head India office
Big Dutchman is pleased to announce the appointment of Philip Dye as Managing Director of its representative office in India. He will be based in Hyderabad, the capital of the southern state of Andra Pradesh. Some 18 years ago, Philip established a Big Dutchman agency in Great Britain, whereby he gained vast in-depth knowledge of the Big Dutchman range of poultry systems. In the last couple of years, British-born Philip relocated to the German headquarters and took over the implementation of major projects in America, South Africa and Turkey.
In his new role, Philip will focus on the further development and consolidation of the company’s broad range of poultry systems within the Indian market. This includes both simple installations and high-scale turn-key projects, from the build-up of small farms to fully-integrated agricultural enterprises. Major focus will be put on promoting poultry equipment tailored specifically to the changing Indian market. Therefore, systems for fully automatic egg and meat production, including breeder management, are going to play an important role.
“Tried and tested poultry systems”
“I am really looking forward to this new challenge and to a very fruitful collaboration with our Indian customers”, Philip Dye commented on his new position. „The Indian market has enormous potential and I am confident that, given Big Dutchman’s many years of experience and knowledge, we can become a valuable support to the Indian poultry industry”.
According to Philip, the company’s many years of experience will be of great benefit as the “tried and tested” Big Dutchman product range will help ensure that the transformation from the traditional types of poultry accommodation to a world standard system such as the UNIVENT poultry cage will be much easier.
UNIVENT poultry cage for efficient layer management
The UNIVENT layer cage for closed poultry houses, one of the world’s most popular manure belt batteries, is a good example of the product potential Big Dutchman has to offer. The easy-to-operate poultry system is characterized by a history of a long service life as well as high stocking densities and excellent housing conditions for the birds. This in turn leads to a better production performance and a higher egg yield.
The UNIVENT poultry cage is available with the proven CHAMPION chain feeding system which transports the feed evenly and consistently to the birds. A high conveying capacity is achieved so that a large amount of feed can quickly be supplied to the animals. Because of this, fewer feed is required to supply the daily requirement, resulting in a calmer atmosphere and reduced disturbances for the birds, as all birds are fed within a short time period.
For further information about Big Dutchman poultry systems / poultry cages please refer to: www.bigdutchman.de
Contact data:
Big Dutchman International GmbH
Representative Office India
No.8-2-L/26/A, MLA Colony
Road No. 12, Banjara Hills
Hyderabad -500034 A.P.
India
Phone: 00914023551191
Telefax: 00914023551183
Mobile phone: +00917893098880
E-Mail: pdye@bigdutchman.de
www.bigdutchman.de
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Big Dutchman is the world’s largest poultry equipment supplier for modern poultry production. A new field of business is residue treatment. The complete product portfolio of the German family enterprise from Vechta-Calveslage includes all kinds of poultry feeding systems and poultry housing systems. Be it barn, free range and organic egg production or egg production in enriched colony systems and poultry cages, be it systems for optimal poultry climate control or poultry growing, turkey production and breeder management: Big Dutchman offers the best poultry systems imaginable for every type of farm imaginable.
“The impression you have made on this company is unique.”
Bernd Kuhlencord celebrates 30 years at Big Dutchman
Bernd Kuhlencord from Bassum is now celebrating his 30-year jubilee at Big Dutchman: in 1981 after graduating from university with a degree in Business Administration and interim employment in the area of plant construction, he started work at the livestock housing equipment supplier in Calveslage, Germany. Since then the Big Dutchman Managing Director, who also speaks excellent French and English, has significantly influenced the development of the poultry housing equipment business unit where he has been employed in key positions.
His sharp ability to recognize customers’ needs as well as his diplomatic skills proved successful right from the beginning of his career as a sales manager for the Arab region as well as manager of a large poultry house project in the Near East.
In 1985 conversion of the former subsidiary into a privately owned family business took him in a new direction. Within the scope of the consequent re-organization Kuhlencord developed new sales structures for the areas poultry and pig housing equipment. This basis, which also included the setting up of the sales support team, is still operating today.
At the beginning of the 1990s constantly increasing sales and an expansion in the number of employees together with the globalization of the business meant that new organizational structures were needed. Ever since this time Bernd Kuhlencord has been responsible for the marketing of poultry housing equipment in Western Europe, Africa as well as the Near and Middle East in the capacity of Managing Director of Big Dutchman International GmbH.
“When you started working here, there were 125 employees at the company headquarters in Calveslage”, Bernd Meerpohl, chairman of Big Dutchman AG, reminisces on the occasion of an in-house celebration. Meanwhile there are nearly 800 persons employed here and worldwide as many as 1,800 employees. “Our very successful position today is due also to your never-ending commitment. You have made a unique impression on this company”, said Meerpohl in an expression of gratitude and recognition of Bernd Kuhlencord’s special achievements.
The company management and colleagues congratulated him and wished him ongoing pleasure and success in his work.
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Big Dutchman is the world’s largest poultry equipment supplier for modern poultry production. A new field of business is residue treatment. The complete product portfolio of the German family enterprise from Vechta-Calveslage includes all kinds of poultry feeding systems and poultry housing systems. Be it barn, free range and organic egg production or egg production in enriched colony systems and poultry cages, be it systems for optimal poultry climate control or poultry growing, turkey production and breeder management: Big Dutchman offers the best poultry systems imaginable for every type of farm imaginable.
Highest score for housing equipment supplier
Big Dutchman at the top of DLG-Image-Barometer
In its recent Image Barometer 2010, the DLG (Deutsche Landwirtschafts- Gesellschaft - German Agricultural Society) reports Big Dutchman as the industry leader in the area of “technology livestock housing systems”.”It’s the fourth time that Big Dutchman, as the world’s leading equipment supplier for modern pig and poultry production, has taken the top position of the image ranking in this sector” states the DLG analysis. The long-time winners from northern Germany were also considered as “especially innovative” by the questioned livestock producers and received the highest score in this category. The study, which an entire industry eagerly awaits every year, was recently published on the occasion of a DLG exhibitor meeting in Osnabrück, Germany.
The industry ranking is based on interviews with 307 leading German farm managers from all areas of agriculture. The statisticians noted both the concrete rating as well as freely-supplied information about which company delivers reliable technology and quickly solves everyday problems in the barn. In the market segment “technology for livestock housing systems“ Big Dutchman received both the highest number of nominations and the best ratings and, in regard to performance, relegated even leading companies of the milk industry such as “Westfalia/GEA Farm Technologies” and “Lely” to lower places.
Other companies from the administrative district of Vechta, such as the engineering company Maschinenbau GmbH Meyer-Lohne, WEDA Dammann & Westerkamp GmbH (Lutten) and the agricultural machinery manufacturer Grimme from Damme also appear in the top ten of the industry barometer. They have also moved up considerably in the ranking even though they did not quite reach the top three this year.
An additional cause of joy for Big Dutchman was that, for the first time ever, the northern German company achieved first place in the collective category “top company”. “This is, of course, a success shared by all departments and staff and is furthermore tremendously motivating for every member of the large Big Dutchman family“, commented CEO Bernd Meerpohl upon hearing the results of the study. The results showed how much trust the farmers have in the company. “We want to keep earning this trust”, added Meerpohl, putting the achievement into perspective; “these fantastic results therefore come with an obligation to get better every day.“
The full DLG-Image-Barometer can be viewed here. In addition to the above mentioned points, the questioned farmers also had to rank the company websites. Big Dutchman ranks first in this category as well.
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Big Dutchman is the world’s largest equipment supplier for modern pig production and poultry production. A new field of business is residue treatment. The poultry equipment supplier provides solutions for barn, free range and organic egg production as well as egg production in enriched colony systems and poultry cages, for poultry growing, turkey production and breeder management, but also for poultry climate control. Big Dutchman also provides a complete product program for successful pig production. Be it pig rearing or sow management, be it dry feeding or liquid feeding systems or equipment for optimal pig house climate control: Big Dutchman offers the best pig equipment imaginable for every poultry and pig house.
Jack DeWitt’s company philosophy still influences the company
Founder of Big Dutchman Turns 100 Years Old
Jack DeWitt, the original “Big Dutchman”, turned 100 years old on January 30th, 2011. In 1938 Jack and his brother Dick DeWitt founded Big Dutchman and together they would design, develop, and sell the first automatic poultry feeding system. In addition to the revolutionary design featuring the flat chain concept, which remains the most popular poultry feeding technology in the world, they would develop many other products to modernize poultry production.
Today Josef Meerpohl and his family are the sole owners of Big Dutchman which is headed by Josef’s son, Bernd Meerpohl. Bernd, and Clovis Rayzel, the president of Big Dutchman USA, visited Jack at his home to wish him a happy birthday. At this time Jack was presented with a photo book in which Josef signed, “I will never forget that you brought the wonderful Big Dutchman idea into my life.”
In late January Big Dutchman celebrated its founders with a special historical display at the International Poultry Exposition, Atlanta (USA). Photographs and original equipment were featured at the show, emphasizing the solid foundation of the company.
“Even today, the company is influenced daily by Jack’s simple, ageless way of doing business”, agreed Bernd and Clovis. Bernd went on to say, “Jack DeWitt had a very simple philosophy, but it’s one that is time-tested in every way. He was very customer-focused and market-oriented, and this is a philosophy we hammer on every day.”
Jack and Dick DeWitt shaped the company early on to become the worldwide leading supplier for pig and poultry production. „We had a pretty good idea that sure beat shoveling out bird feed by hand. We just had to take it out to the rest of the world“, recollects Jack.
Jack sold his interest in the company in 1968, but stayed on as an advisor until 1971. In 1958, Josef Meerpohl from Vechta-Calveslage took over as sales agent for Northern Germany. In 1985 he acquired the whole company through a management buyout (at that time this did not include the sales rights for North and South America).
Today, the headquarters of the family enterprise are located in Vechta-Calveslage, Germany. Under the roof of the holding Big Dutchman AG managed by CEO Bernd Meerpohl, the innovative company group has been successful on the worldwide markets for years. In regard to development and distribution of housing and feeding systems for modern pig and poultry production, Big Dutchman is regarded as international market leader. The name Big Dutchman is a trade mark for reliable quality, fast service and unsurpassed know-how.
Planning and construction of biogas plants for agriculture and industry, indoor fish farms and, just recently, also systems for the generation of energy from biomass complete today’s product portfolio.
