Growing Excellence Through Innovation
As a globally active family holding company with more than 250 subsidiaries in the life sciences sector, the EW Group focuses on research and innovation-driven operations at the beginning of the value chains. In their respective business areas, the subsidiaries lay the foundations for food security, sustainability, animal welfare and health.
Family Holding Company
The EW Group is a strategic holding company and at the same time a traditional family business in its third generation. It was founded in 1928, when Paul Wesjohann established an agricultural business in Visbek-Rechterfeld, Germany. Today, the group is a global organization that still has strong local roots. With the aspiration of “Growing Excellence Through Innovation”, the companies of the EW Group work on knowledge-based solutions to key challenges in the field of life sciences. The focus lies on global food security, improving human and animal health as well as optimizing sustainability and animal welfare along the value chains. The EW Group and its companies stand for reliable, respectful relations with their employees, customers and partners and guarantee the highest quality standards.
Origin
Founded In
About
More than
Locations in more than
Products in more than
1928
1998
19.000
250
45
165
100%
employees
subsidiaries
countries
countries
family-owned
Philosophy
The foundation for the group-wide success of the EW Group are strong and independent subsidiary companies. The EW Group pursues the philosophy of entrusting the subsidiaries and their management with fullresponsibility for the strategic and operational leadership of the companies. This approach of operational management from the bottom up creates success and a culture of corporate responsibility. The holding company supports its subsidiaries in strategic acquisitions and promotes the generation of unique synergies in the areas of research and development, bio-security and new technologies.
The independence and entrepreneurial freedom of the subsidiaries are core elements of our success.
Dirk and Jan Wesjohann
Life Science Business
The entrepreneurial diversity of the EW Group is the result of a clear strategy aimed at steady organic growth in combination with targeted acquisitions of companies with future-oriented business models. There are currently more than 250 national and international subsidiaries, most of which operate at the beginning of the value chain in key markets in the life science sector.
The corporate fields of genetics (poultry, fish, fruit and vegetables), diagnostics, health and nutrition form the framework for the various business activities. The companies are united by their focus on making products more sustainable and efficient through research and development.
Business Activities
Broiler and Turkey Genetics
Fish Genetics
Layer Genetics
Plant Genetics
Nutrition
Vaccines and Vaccine Eggs
Diagnostics
Food
Automation Technology
Broiler and Turkey Genetics
Fish Genetics
Layer Genetics
Plant Genetics
Nutrition
Vaccines and Vaccine Eggs
Diagnostics
Food
Automation Technology
Research and Development
Research and development have traditionally had a very high priority at the EW Group. Intensive and continuous research work is the prerequisite for the group’s companies to be able to offer their customers a leading product. To this end, the EW Group’s subsidiaries employ a large number of exceptional scientists and maintain a global network of leading universities and research institutes.
The group’s companies address the challenges of the global nutrition and health sector from very different directions: genetics, diagnostics, animal & human nutrition and animal & human health. The provision of efficient, robust and sustainable genetics, the development of modern vaccines and diagnostic methods as well as the development of innovative feed additives are important contributions to solving the challenges in global protein and plant production. This comprehensive approach makes the EW Group an innovation leader. For this purpose, the Group continuously makes high investments in research and development.
Sustainability
Sustainability and the careful use of natural resources have been an integral part of the corporate culture of the EW Group and its subsidiaries for many years. One of the most important challenges of our time is to ensure a healthy diet for a steadily growing world population with agricultural land that cannot be increased.
The EW Group’s subsidiaries actively contribute to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals by placing great emphasis on the continuous reduction of CO₂ emissions, the conservation of natural resources and the protection of our ecosystems. Innovative breeding methods to improve resource efficiency and animal welfare and new rapid diagnostic methods to detect dangerous pathogens are just two examples of activities that support the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Sustainability is an issue that affects the EW Group and its subsidiaries worldwide. For this reason, the EW Group has defined clear targets to be achieved by its subsidiaries.
Contribution of basic breeding to reducing greenhouse gas emissions
Modern and sustainable breeding programs are the cornerstone for conserving natural resources. The breeding of animals and plants is at the beginning of agricultural value chains and is a decisive factor for efficient resource protection and the avoidance of emissions. By utilizing genetic potential, it is also possible to react to changing climatic conditions and scarce resources. In broiler breeding, for example, it has been possible to reduce the CO2 footprint per animal by around 1% every year and to continue this development in the future.
Change in greenhouse gas emissions in CO2 equivalent per kilogram of edible carcass weight due to breeding progress in broiler farming.
Employees
People with unique knowledge, commitment and exceptional motivation are the foundation of the EW Group’s success. The group therefore places its trust in the management and the employees behind it, whose ideas and initiatives are the key to the success of the subsidiaries.
The dynamic growth of the group of companies creates career and development opportunities that constantly provide new challenges for employees. The multinational nature of the company and the exchange between employees also offer new perspectives. The basis for this trusting cooperation is reliability and, at the same time, free development opportunities for employees in their various areas of work.
Job Vacancies
The EW Group offers employees at holding company level various opportunities to help shape the future of the life sciences sector. It promotes independent work in a young and cooperative team in a globally leading corporate group as well as internationality and an entrepreneurial environment with flat hierarchies and varied areas of responsibility. This is complemented by competitive salaries as well as extensive development opportunities.