Novozymes

Novozymes A/S
Publicly traded Aktieselskab
Traded as OMX: NZYM B
Industry Biotechnology
Founded 2000
Headquarters Bagsværd, Denmark
Key people
 Henrik Gürtler (Chairman), Peder Holk Nielsen (President and CEO)
Products Enzymes, microorganisms, biopharmaceutical ingredients
Revenue DKK 12,459 million(2014)[1]
DKK 3,384 million(2014)[1]
Profit DKK 2,525 million (2014)[1]
Number of employees
 6,454 (2014)[1]
Slogan Rethink Tomorrow
Website www.novozymes.com

Novozymes is a global biotechnology company headquartered in Bagsværd outside of Copenhagen, Denmark employing approximately 6,500 people by the end of 2014. The company has operations in a number of countries around the world, including China, India, Brazil, Argentina, United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada.[1] Its B shares are listed on the NASDAQ OMX Nordic.[2]

The company’s focus is the research, development and production of industrial enzymes, microorganisms, and biopharmaceutical ingredients. As of 2013, the company holds an estimated 48% of the global enzyme market, making it the world’s largest producer of industrial enzymes.[3]

History

In 1925 the brothers Harald and Thorvald Pedersen founded Novo Terapeutisk Laboratorium and Nordisk Insulinlaboratorium with the aim to produce insulin. In 1941 the company's predecessor launched its first enzyme, trypsin, extracted from the pancreas of animals and used to soften leather, and was the first to produce enzymes by fermentation using bacteria in 1950s.[4][5] In the late 1980s Novozymes presented the world’s first fat-splitting enzyme for detergents manufactured with genetically engineered microorganisms, called Lipolase.[6]

The current Novozymes was founded in 2000 in a demerger from pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk.[4]

In the 2000s Novozymes expanded through acquisition of several companies focusing on business outside the core enzyme business. Amongst them were the Brazilian bioagricultural company Turfal and German pharmaceutical, chemical and life science company EMD/Merck Crop BioScience Inc.[7] These acquisitions made Novozymes a leader in sustainable solutions for the agricultural biological industry.[8]

Activities

The headquarters, located in Bagsvaerd, Denmark

The company labels its core work as “bioinnovation”, with the intention to use biotechnology to develop more sustainable solutions towards industries such as agriculture, bioenergy, household care, textiles, and the pharmaceutical industry.[1] In January 2014, Novozymes was ranked the most sustainable company in the biotechnology sector in The Sustainability Yearbook 2014 for the fifth year in a row.[9] In 2009, Forbes included Novozymes as one of 100 corporations that will survive 100 years.[10] In 2012, Novozymes was placed fourth in Corporate Knights’ Global 100 ranking of the world’s most sustainable corporations.[11]

Novozymes is a partner of and a supplier to companies such as Procter & Gamble and Henkel.[12][13] Other partners and customers include Unilever, Cargill, Beta Renewables, and Archer Daniels Midland.[1]

Ownership

The Novozymes A share capital is held by Novo A/S, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Novo Nordisk Foundation. In addition, Novo A/S holds 5,826,280 B shares, which overall gives Novo A/S 25.5% of the total share capital and 70.1% of the votes.[2][1]

References and footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 "The Novozymes Report 2014". Novozymes. Novozymes. 20 January 2015. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 NASDAQ OMX Nordic (5 April 2004). "NASDAQ OMX Nordic Novozymes Information". NASDAQ OMX Nordic. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
  3. ↑ Jonathan Fahey (22 April 2010). "Are We Getting Closer to 'Clean' Ethanol?". Forbes. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Novozymes Novozymes' history Page accessed August 31, 2014
  5. ↑ Parameswaran, B et al (2013) http://nopr.niscair.res.in/bitstream/123456789/17451/1/JSIR%2072(5)%20271-286.pdf Industrial Enzymes - Present Status & Future Perspectives for India Journal of scientific and industrial research 72:271-286.
  6. ↑ Susan Watts for the New Scientist, Issue 1671. 01 July 1989. Engineered enzyme washes whiter than white
  7. ↑ Gelu Sulugiuc for Bloomberg News. 20 Dex, 2010 Novozymes Buys Merck Crop Business for $275 Million
  8. ↑ Frank Vinluan for Xconomy 6 August 2014 Novozymes’ BioAg R&D Turns to Microbials to Boost Crop Yields
  9. ↑ RobecoSAM (22 January 2014). "Industry Leaders 2014". RobecoSAM. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
  10. ↑ Klaus Kneale (28 January 2009). "100 Corporations That Will Survive 100 Years". Forbes. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
  11. ↑ Corporate Knights (25 January 2012). "The Gobal 100: World Leaders In Clean Capitalism". Corpoate Knights. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
  12. ↑ The Procter & Gamble Company (28 October 2013). "P&G Recognizes Top Performing Global Partners". Retrieved 5 April 2014.
  13. ↑ Henkel (31 January 2013). "Henkel presents awards to outstanding suppliers". Retrieved 5 April 2014.

External links