Evonik announced that last week it inaugurated the first laboratory for its animal nutrition business in Nairobi, Kenya.

Equipped with state-of-the-art near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) technology, the facility helps feed producers evaluate their raw materials through the accurate analysis of a very wide range of nutrients, Evonik said, adding that poultry feed analysis is also covered by this service.

The new Evonik laboratory brings vital technical support to the local and regional feed markets. “We hope to extend the best levels of support to our partners not only in Kenya but in the entire East African region, including countries like Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia and Rwanda,” said John Owaga, Evonik technical service manager for animal nutrition in East Africa.

Animal nutrition has become a more exact science over the past few decades. To formulate feed according to a certain specification requires knowledge about the nutrient contents of all relevant raw materials. Since these vary considerably, it is important to analyze the raw materials on an ongoing basis with the latest NIR technology to ensure high feed quality and keep feed costs under control, Evonik said.

“At Evonik, we see great potential in the East African market coming from the double-digit growth of the poultry industry in recent years,” said Cuthbert Mamabolo, regional business director for animal nutrition at Evonik.

Five years ago, Evonik established a direct presence in East Africa with a representative office in Kenya, although the German specialty chemical producer was active in this region for decades through external distributors. Today, Evonik caters to the feed industry for poultry, dairy, pigs and fish with key products such as MetAMINO, Biolys, Ecobiol, Mepron and CreAMINO.

Evonik said it offers partners unique products and services with an emphasis on technical support that the company tailors to individual customer needs. Hence, opening a laboratory in Kenya is a key strategic decision the company has taken to bring technology closer to its clients and to better understand their needs.

Evonik is a global leader in specialty chemicals, with its corporate strategy focused on specialty businesses, customer-orientated innovation and a trusted, performance-oriented corporate culture.