Marel has announced the acquisition of Poultry Machinery Joosten (PMJ), a global provider of processing equipment for the duck industry.
PMJ has 40 employees and is located in Opmeer in the Netherlands. It was founded in 1998 as a family business and has evolved into a global leader for waterfowl processing solutions. PMJ’s annual revenues are around EUR 5 million.
Marel said the acquisition of PMJ’s product portfolio of primary processing, including waxing and automated evisceration, would make Marel the industry’s only full-line provider of duck processing solutions. Marel said it would be in a stronger position to broaden its customer base in the duck segment, leverage its global sales and service network and expand into new markets.
PMJ’s management team will stay on board and ensure business continuity for employees and customers.
The global duck meat market is a large and growing market, with an estimated value of around EUR 6 billion. The annual volume of duck meat is currently 4.5 million tons, with 70% of this volume in China, where Marel already has an established presence.
Roger Claessens, executive vice president of poultry at Marel, said: “The acquisition of PMJ is a logical step for Marel to expand its third pillar within poultry processing alongside broilers and turkey. Technical expertise and an impressive track record of continuous product innovation are defining characteristics of both PMJ and Marel. The high quality of PMJ’s solutions reflects the company’s 23 years of dedication to duck processing. With our combined efforts and continued focus on innovation, we will be in a stronger position to transform the duck industry in partnership with our customers.”