Devro plc is a multinational company with registered office in Moodiesburn, Chryston, United Kingdom which manufactures and distributes goods derived from

collagen Collagen () is the main structural protein in the extracellular matrix found in the body's various connective tissues. As the main component of connective tissue, it is the most abundant protein in mammals, making up from 25% to 35% of the whole ...

, principally sausage casings, a product in which it is the world leader. The firm also produces

films A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

, casings and other specialised collagen products for use in the health care and cosmetics industries. The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange.

History

Devro was founded as a new business of

Johnson & Johnson Johnson & Johnson (J&J) is an American multinational corporation founded in 1886 that develops medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and consumer packaged goods. Its common stock is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the company i ...

in 1950s after its researchers developed a material suitable for the manufacture of sausage casings from

. The business name was devised as an acronym of "Development and Research Organisation", the Johnson & Johnson unit from which it emerged. The firm was subject to a £108 million

management buyout A management buyout (MBO) is a form of acquisition in which a company's existing managers acquire a large part, or all, of the company, whether from a parent company or individual. Management-, and/or leveraged buyout became noted phenomena of 1 ...

from J&J in 1991 and was listed on the London Stock Exchange two years later. In 1996 it acquired the American firm Teepak International for US$135 million, including its majority stake in the Czech company Cutisin. The Czech unit was fully acquired in 2004. Devro sold its cellulose business in 2000 for £4.8m, which resulted in a massive exceptional loss of £54.5m. In early 2007 Devro engaged in talks with an undisclosed suitor, rumoured to be its then-largest shareholder Acomita Investment (a vehicle controlled by John Magnier), over a takeover of the company. The talks were however terminated after an agreement could not be reached on issues relating to its pension scheme. The company was promoted to the

FTSE 250 Index The FTSE 250 Index ( "Footsie") is a capitalisation-weighted index consisting of the 101st to the 350th largest companies listed on the London Stock Exchange. Promotions and demotions to and from the index occur quarterly in March, June, Septemb ...

on 27 August 2010 after the acquisition of Arriva by

Deutsche Bahn The (; abbreviated as DB or DB AG) is the national railway company of Germany. Headquartered in the Bahntower in Berlin, it is a joint-stock company ( AG). The Federal Republic of Germany is its single shareholder. describes itself as the se ...

was completed. In late 2015, Devro acquired PVI Industries, a Dutch-based collagen manufacturer, in a £10m deal. Peter Page stepped down as Chief Executive on 28 February 2018, after almost 11 years in the position. He is widely credited in managing the company's turnaround. Peter was replaced by Rutger Helbing, the company's former Finance Director.

Operations

Some 1,450 of Devro's 2,200 employees are based in Europe, with the majority of these at manufacturing and

research and development Research and development (R&D or R+D), known in Europe as research and technological development (RTD), is the set of innovative activities undertaken by corporations or governments in developing new services or products, and improving existi ...

facilities in Jilemnice and Slavkov in the Czech Republic. Devro headquarters are in Moodiesburn, Scotland. The company's largest manufacturing site by volume is also the newest, in Nantong,

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

, other manufacturing and technical plants are located in Jilemnice, Czech republic, Sandy Run, South Carolina in the United States and Bathurst, New South Wales in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. The firm also has sales offices in Germany, Russia, Hong Kong,

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

and New Zealand.

References

External links

*{{Official, http://www.devro.com/
Devro Select Website
Food and drink companies established in 1950 Food manufacturers of the United Kingdom Companies formed by management buyout 1950 establishments in England 1993 initial public offerings