NEALIA – ANIMAL NUTRITION

As a leading stakeholder in animal nutrition in north-eastern France and a pioneer in moist compound feeds, NEALIA adds value to the by-products of regional companies, and constantly applies its innovative expertise to provide livestock farmers with high-performance technical and financial solutions..

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The New Aliane production centre at Pauvres

To feed ruminants, but also develop the growth markets for insects and biogas plants, Nealia’s ALIANE* production subsidiary is building a new moist compound feed production centre on its site at Pauvres. The new centre will increase Nealia production capacity, and highlights its dynamic commitment to innovation in formulation. It is also an excellent illustration of the complementary relationship that exists between the plant and animal sectors, and promoting the use of regional resources to reduce transport and greenhouse gas emissions! This virtuous investment of more than €5 million by VIVESCIA Industries and the Avril Group was a successful bidder for €1.2 million in funding from the French Government’s France Relance national recovery plan.

*Aliane is a 50/50 joint venture with Groupe Avril subsidiary Sanders Nord Est, under the terms of which the two companies (Nealia and Sanders) are able to pool their production resources in north-eastern France. Aliane now has 6 production centres.

Laying the foundation stone for the future Aliane moist compound feed production centre at Pauvres with a ceremony attended by the Prefect of the Ardennes, the sub-prefect with responsibility for economic recovery, local councillors and managers from VIVESCIA, Nealia, Aliane and Sanders.

An exceptionally challenging context

The abundance of fodder produced from the excellent grass and maize harvests that followed the wet summer of 2021 inevitably led to a drop in demand from cattle and sheep farms for dry and most compound feeds during the year. The inflationary trend in raw material and energy prices, further exacerbated by the conflict in Ukraine, has led to a major increase in production costs that Nealia has been forced to pass on to its customers in a move that has also limited its sales potential. As a result, both its performance and profitability have been adversely affected.

But a year rich in projects... in buoyant markets

Under the terms of the partnership agreement signed in 2021 with Agronutris, a French biotech specialising in the breeding and processing of insects to provide animal feed proteins, Nealia has secured supplies of 45,000 tonnes per year of moist feed going forward. At the same time, the R&D teams at Nealia have continued to work on stabilising optimal feed recipes that meet both the needs of the insects and industrial production requirements. The company has also expanded its skills and services to develop its consulting business, which advises on the ‘feeding’ of biogas production plants using inputs derived from agricultural by-products. The focus here is on optimising rations and their composition to improve the biogas production plant operation. The egglaying poultry business also continued its development during the year, with the startup of new workshops, while business volumes remained consistent with the previous year in the integrated broiler poultry business and its abattoir.

The development of a soya value chain and the construction of the new production centre at Pauvres (see inset), which will strengthen its positions in the animal nutrition, methanisation and insect markets, are other examples of exciting projects undertaken during the year.