KWS SAAT
Encyclopedia
KWS SAAT AG is an independent, family-owned German company that focuses on plant breeding
, with activities in about 70 countries. The product range includes seed varieties for sugar beet, corn, cereals, rapeseed and potatoes. The capital letters “K,” “W” and ”S” in the name KWS stand for Klein Wanzlebener Saatzucht, which means seed breeding from Klein Wanzleben
. The company’s original headquarters
were in Klein Wanzleben, an East German town located near the city of Magdeburg
. Its main markets are in the temperate climate zones of Europe, North and South America as well as North Africa and Asia. KWS has a network of more than 30 breeding stations, 130 testing stations and around 60 subsidiaries. In 1954, the company went public on the Hamburg-Hannover Stock Exchange and has been on the SDAX
list of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange
since June 2006.
. In 1856 the majority of its shares were acquired by the sugar beet grower and farmer
Matthias Christian Rabbethge
, one of the pioneers of the German sugar industry. In the same year he and his then future son-in-law Julius Giesecke founded a general commercial partnership (OHG). In 1885 the Rabbethge & Giesecke OHG became a joint stock company (Aktiengesellschaft
) under the name Zuckerfabrik Klein Wanzleben formerly Rabbethge & Giesecke Aktiengesellschaft (AG). In 1937 it was changed into Rabbethge & Giesecke AG because the Reichsnährstand
did not want any anonymous investor
s in the agriculture and forestry
sector. After the Second World War the company was relocated to the Lower Saxonian
city of Einbeck which has been its headquarters since then. In 1946 a rescue company was established under the name Rabbethge & Giesecke Saatzucht GmbH. The foundation of this rescue company was necessary in order to continue the Western activities of the original joint stock company, which was still based in Klein Wanzleben. In 1951 the two companies were merged and took the title Kleinwanzlebener Saatzucht formerly Rabbethge & Giesecke AG. In 1975 it was changed into KWS Kleinwanzlebener Saatzucht formerly Rabbethge & Giesecke and then finally reduced to KWS SAAT AG in 1999.The first international branch of KWS was established in 1900 in the Ukrainian
town Vinnytsia
to meet the demand of sugar beet farmers in Russia
. In 1920 the company began to expand its business into corn, fodder beet and potato breeding. Following the relocation to Einbeck, KWS focused on the breeding of sugar beet, corn, rapeseed, sunflower
, cereals and potatoes. In the years directly after the war, the company became an important supplier
to the West German sugar beet industry. Since 1963 it has established subsidiaries in Europe, North and South America, Asia and North Africa.
and South European countries. At the same time it also started to expand its activities in the US sugar beet market. In 1956 KWS established the company Segenta in Chile
and Pan Tohum Islah ve Üretme A.S. in Turkey
. In 1967/68 it began merging its cereal breeding activities with the companies Heine-Peragis and Lochow-Petkus GmbH. In 2008, KWS acquired Lochow-Petkus GmbH which was subsequently renamed KWS LOCHOW GMBH.
In 1968 KWS collaborated with the American plant breeder Northrup King Company to found the company Betaseed. In 1978 it founded KWS Seeds Inc. to manage all business activities in North America. In the 1990s the company acquired the Argentinean
breeding company Trebol Sur which was then renamed KWS Argentina in 1997.
In 2000 the French
plant breeding group Limagrain
and KWS decided to merge their corn business in North America and formed the joint venture
AgReliant. In 2003 KWS founded KWS Türk in Turkey to enhance the distribution of seeds in North Africa
(Morocco
, Tunisia
, Libya
and Egypt
) and Middle Eastern countries including Iran
, Iraq
and Lebanon
. In 2008 KWS and the Dutch
Van Rijn Group established a joint venture in breeding potato seeds and in April 2011 KWS acquired the remaining interests in Van Rijn and formed the subsidiary KWS POTATO B.V. In September 2011 it founded a joint venture with the Chinese company Kenfeng to manage the production and distribution of corn seed in China
. In October 2011 KWS and the French seed producer Vilmorin
formed a research collaboration as a 50/50 joint venture company to develop GM corn traits.
From 2008- 2011 together with the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (BMELV) it funded projects executed by the Federal Research Center for Cultivated Plants – Julius Kühn-Institut
and University of Hohenheim
’s Research Focus Biotechnology and Plant Breeding in Baden-Württemberg
. The project topics include genetic improvement of resistance to fusariosis
and avoidance of bird repellents
by repellents from natural products.
The company and BASF Plant Science
are also collaborating on a long-term project to develop sugar beet varieties with higher sugar and energy yields as well as greater drought tolerance.
Plant breeding
Plant breeding is the art and science of changing the genetics of plants in order to produce desired characteristics. Plant breeding can be accomplished through many different techniques ranging from simply selecting plants with desirable characteristics for propagation, to more complex molecular...
, with activities in about 70 countries. The product range includes seed varieties for sugar beet, corn, cereals, rapeseed and potatoes. The capital letters “K,” “W” and ”S” in the name KWS stand for Klein Wanzlebener Saatzucht, which means seed breeding from Klein Wanzleben
Klein Wanzleben
Klein Wanzleben is a village and a former municipality in the Börde district in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 September 2010, it is part of the town Wanzleben-Börde....
. The company’s original headquarters
Headquarters
Headquarters denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the top of a corporation taking full responsibility managing all business activities...
were in Klein Wanzleben, an East German town located near the city of Magdeburg
Magdeburg
Magdeburg , is the largest city and the capital city of the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Magdeburg is situated on the Elbe River and was one of the most important medieval cities of Europe....
. Its main markets are in the temperate climate zones of Europe, North and South America as well as North Africa and Asia. KWS has a network of more than 30 breeding stations, 130 testing stations and around 60 subsidiaries. In 1954, the company went public on the Hamburg-Hannover Stock Exchange and has been on the SDAX
SDAX
The SDAX is a stock market index composed of 50 small and medium-sized companies in Germany. These so-called small caps rank directly below the MDAX shares in terms of order book volume and market capitalization...
list of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange
Frankfurt Stock Exchange
The Frankfurt Stock Exchange is the world's 12th largest stock exchange by market capitalization. Located in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, the Frankfurt Stock Exchange is owned and operated by Deutsche Börse, which also owns the European futures exchange Eurex and the clearing company...
since June 2006.
History
In 1838 the Kleinwanzleben Zuckerfabrik (Kleinwanzleben Sugar Refinery) was founded as a stock companyStock company
Stock company can refer to:*Joint stock company *Stock company - referring to a group of actors...
. In 1856 the majority of its shares were acquired by the sugar beet grower and farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
Matthias Christian Rabbethge
Matthias Christian Rabbethge
Matthias Christian Rabbethge was a German sugar beet grower and sugar manufacturer.- External links :...
, one of the pioneers of the German sugar industry. In the same year he and his then future son-in-law Julius Giesecke founded a general commercial partnership (OHG). In 1885 the Rabbethge & Giesecke OHG became a joint stock company (Aktiengesellschaft
Aktiengesellschaft
Aktiengesellschaft is a German term that refers to a corporation that is limited by shares, i.e. owned by shareholders, and may be traded on a stock market. The term is used in Germany, Austria and Switzerland...
) under the name Zuckerfabrik Klein Wanzleben formerly Rabbethge & Giesecke Aktiengesellschaft (AG). In 1937 it was changed into Rabbethge & Giesecke AG because the Reichsnährstand
Reichsnährstand
The Reichsnährstand was a government body set up in Nazi Germany to regulate food production.-Foundation:The Reichsnährstand was founded by the Reichsnahrstandsgesetz of 13 September, 1933; it was led by R. Walther Darré.-Policies:...
did not want any anonymous investor
Investor
An investor is a party that makes an investment into one or more categories of assets --- equity, debt securities, real estate, currency, commodity, derivatives such as put and call options, etc...
s in the agriculture and forestry
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
sector. After the Second World War the company was relocated to the Lower Saxonian
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
city of Einbeck which has been its headquarters since then. In 1946 a rescue company was established under the name Rabbethge & Giesecke Saatzucht GmbH. The foundation of this rescue company was necessary in order to continue the Western activities of the original joint stock company, which was still based in Klein Wanzleben. In 1951 the two companies were merged and took the title Kleinwanzlebener Saatzucht formerly Rabbethge & Giesecke AG. In 1975 it was changed into KWS Kleinwanzlebener Saatzucht formerly Rabbethge & Giesecke and then finally reduced to KWS SAAT AG in 1999.The first international branch of KWS was established in 1900 in the Ukrainian
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
town Vinnytsia
Vinnytsia
Vinnytsia is a city located on the banks of the Southern Bug, in central Ukraine. It is the administrative center of Vinnytsia Oblast.-Names:...
to meet the demand of sugar beet farmers in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. In 1920 the company began to expand its business into corn, fodder beet and potato breeding. Following the relocation to Einbeck, KWS focused on the breeding of sugar beet, corn, rapeseed, sunflower
Sunflower
Sunflower is an annual plant native to the Americas. It possesses a large inflorescence . The sunflower got its name from its huge, fiery blooms, whose shape and image is often used to depict the sun. The sunflower has a rough, hairy stem, broad, coarsely toothed, rough leaves and circular heads...
, cereals and potatoes. In the years directly after the war, the company became an important supplier
Supplier
Supplier may refer to:*Manufacturer, uses tools and labor to make things for sale*Processor , converts a product from one form to another*Packager , encloses products for distribution, storage, sale, and use...
to the West German sugar beet industry. Since 1963 it has established subsidiaries in Europe, North and South America, Asia and North Africa.
Expansion and acquisitions
In the 1950s the company began intensifying its business in WesternWestern Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
and South European countries. At the same time it also started to expand its activities in the US sugar beet market. In 1956 KWS established the company Segenta in Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
and Pan Tohum Islah ve Üretme A.S. in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. In 1967/68 it began merging its cereal breeding activities with the companies Heine-Peragis and Lochow-Petkus GmbH. In 2008, KWS acquired Lochow-Petkus GmbH which was subsequently renamed KWS LOCHOW GMBH.
In 1968 KWS collaborated with the American plant breeder Northrup King Company to found the company Betaseed. In 1978 it founded KWS Seeds Inc. to manage all business activities in North America. In the 1990s the company acquired the Argentinean
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
breeding company Trebol Sur which was then renamed KWS Argentina in 1997.
In 2000 the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
plant breeding group Limagrain
Groupe Limagrain
Limagrain is an international agricultural co-operative group, specialized in field seeds, vegetable seeds and cereal products. Founded and managed by French farmers, Limagrain is the 4th largest seed company in the world through its holding Vilmorin & Cie, European leader for functional flours...
and KWS decided to merge their corn business in North America and formed the joint venture
Joint venture
A joint venture is a business agreement in which parties agree to develop, for a finite time, a new entity and new assets by contributing equity. They exercise control over the enterprise and consequently share revenues, expenses and assets...
AgReliant. In 2003 KWS founded KWS Türk in Turkey to enhance the distribution of seeds in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
(Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
, Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
and Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
) and Middle Eastern countries including Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
. In 2008 KWS and the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
Van Rijn Group established a joint venture in breeding potato seeds and in April 2011 KWS acquired the remaining interests in Van Rijn and formed the subsidiary KWS POTATO B.V. In September 2011 it founded a joint venture with the Chinese company Kenfeng to manage the production and distribution of corn seed in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. In October 2011 KWS and the French seed producer Vilmorin
Vilmorin
Vilmorin is a French seed producer. Along with its international subsidiaries, the company considers itself to be the fourth largest seed company in the world...
formed a research collaboration as a 50/50 joint venture company to develop GM corn traits.
Research and collaboration
KWS is a supporter of GABI, a collaborative network of plant genomic research projects. GABI, an acronym for "Genomanalyse im biologischen System Pflanze- Genome Analysis in Biological System Plant," is financed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) with the purpose to promote plant genome research in Germany.From 2008- 2011 together with the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (BMELV) it funded projects executed by the Federal Research Center for Cultivated Plants – Julius Kühn-Institut
Julius Kühn-Institut
Julius Kühn-Institut Bundesanstalt für Kulturpflanzen is the German Federal Research Institute for Cultivated Plants. It is named for German agricultural scientist Julius Kühn ....
and University of Hohenheim
University of Hohenheim
The University of Hohenheim is a university in Stuttgart, Germany. Founded in 1818 it is Stuttgart's oldest university and one of Germany's leading universities both in agricultural sciences and economics.-History:...
’s Research Focus Biotechnology and Plant Breeding in Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
. The project topics include genetic improvement of resistance to fusariosis
Fusariosis
Fusariosis is an infection seen in neutropenic patients, and is a significant opportunistic pathogen in patients with hematologic malignancy.It is associated with infections with Fusarium species, such as Fusarium proliferatum....
and avoidance of bird repellents
Animal repellent
Animal repellents are products designed to keep certain animals away from objects, areas, people, plants, or other animals.-Overview:Repellents generally work by taking advantage of an animal's natural aversion to something, and often the thing chosen is something that the animal has learned to...
by repellents from natural products.
The company and BASF Plant Science
BASF Plant Science
BASF Plant Science is a subsidiary of BASF in which all plant biotechnology activities are consolidated. The headquarters of BASF Plant Science are located in the BASF Agrarzentrum Limburgerhof Germany and in Research Triangle Park North Carolina USA...
are also collaborating on a long-term project to develop sugar beet varieties with higher sugar and energy yields as well as greater drought tolerance.