Evonik and Vland announced Dec. 4 that the two companies signed in November a memorandum of understanding to establish a strategic cooperation in the fields of probiotics for animal nutrition and enzymes for industrial applications.

In the cooperation, the partners will exchange know-how, develop new products and improve process technology, an announcement said.

Vland, a high-tech enterprise focusing on enzymes, probiotics and animal health, provides core technology support for biological manufacturing, green solutions for food safety and also clean energy saving technology for biotech industries.

In combination with Evonik’s global market presence and key focus on technology and application in gut health solutions, the new cooperation is expected to bring mutual benefits to both partners, Evonik said.

“Probiotics are already a cornerstone of our gut health solution program, and now together with Vland, we believe we can develop this even further,” said Dr. Emmanuel Auer, head of Evonik’s Animal Nutrition Business Line. “We know the challenges our customers face, we understand the physiology of the animals and have decades of experience in animal nutrition which will complement Vland’s technological innovations.”

Vland chief executive officer Aron Chen added that “Vland always insists on striving for technological innovation and looks for opportunities to work with likeminded partners around the world to build a globalized technological innovation system. The collaboration with Evonik is part of this strategy and we anticipate excellent results that will better serve the animal nutrition industry across the globe.”

Both organizations said they share the same belief that the only way to meet the current demands for sustainable livestock farming is through adopting holistic solutions. For Evonik, this means linking data- and knowledge-based services with technical services and, at the same time, ensuring the availability of a wide portfolio of feed additives for livestock farming.

Vland Biotech was established in 2005. Headquartered in Qingdao in the Shandong Province of China, Vland specializes in the research and development of four main product categories: enzymes, probiotics, vaccines and animal health products. Vland is able to provide solutions to an ever-expanding list of industries including agriculture, animal husbandry, textile, paper making, household cleaning and detergents, food, biofuel, environmental protection and more.

Evonik is one of the world leaders in specialty chemicals. Its Nutrition & Care segment is led by Evonik Nutrition & Care GmbH and contributes to fulfilling basic human needs. That includes applications for everyday consumer goods as well as animal nutrition and health care.