HAMLETPROTEIN– the history

Is there enough protein to meet the needs of the world’s growing population? That question was already being asked back in the early 1970s when a chemical engineer by the name of Ole Kaae Hansen was developing new microbial enzymes for a Danish ingredient company.

It got him wondering whether a bioprocessing technique could be used to improve the quality of vegetable proteins. So he started to conduct his own experiments and found that one solution in particular had a good effect on soy and other pulses. With the approval of his then employer, he patented the finding in his own name.

Ole Kaae Hansen didn’t know it at the time. But his idea was the beginning of a new adventure. It just didn’t get going for another 15 years.

Beginnings of an idea

... Crisis is the turning pointThe turning point was an actual protein supply crisis

in 1988. It squeezed supplies of special feed proteins,

particularly EU intervention stocks of skimmed milk

powder, which hit rock bottom and caused prices to

rise sharply.

Demand grew for high-quality protein. By the end of

the year, the initiatives to the enterprise that became

HAMLET PROTEIN had been set in motion.

Creation of the pilot plantThere were two initial objectives: to construct a pilot

plant for producing specialty soy proteins based

on Ole’s original idea, and to test and optimize the

prototype proteins it produced. Once financing was

in place, a formal project was launched, and work

began on designing the processing line.

It soon emerged that standard equipment was not

able to meet all requirements. This was something

Ole and his small team were prepared for. To solve

the problem, they engineered their own special

units.

Finally, after more development work and tests,

all teething problems were overcome. HAMLET

PROTEIN now had its own fully functioning pilot

plant – the same machine that still runs in the pilot

hall today – and continue to develop new innovative

products for our customers.

No need for anything new?The strategy was to start out with proteins for calf

milk replacer and the piglet feed segment. But, as

Ole recalls, at that time the use of soy protein con-

centrate in piglet feed was extremely limited.

“We were advised to forget about it. Fishmeal and

skimmed milk powder, we were told, were the best

protein sources for piglets, so there was no need to

come up with anything new.

“But the results of our piglet feeding trials told

a different story – as did our trials with calf milk

replacement. We were sure that our products could

compete on price and quality.”

A factory and a flagshipBefore commercial production could begin, a new part-

ner was needed to finance a factory and its employees.

The German oilseed crusher Oelmühle Hamburg

expressed an interest. In 1992, HAMLET PROTEIN A/S

was registered as a 50:50 Danish/German joint venture,

a suitable site was found in Horsens, Denmark, and con-

struction work began on the new factory.

By 1993, HAMLET PROTEIN was ready to launch its

flagship products HP 100 and HP 300 for calf milk

replacers and piglet weaning feed, respectively.

Both swiftly conquered a leading market position.

1988 1989 1990 1992

The next growth generationTo secure the company’s future growth, in 2007 Ole

and Stephen sold the majority of shares to the Danish

private equity fund Polaris, and preparations began for

a generation change at management level. Over the

next two years, a new team of managers was appointed

– with Ole still on hand to share valuable knowledge.

Following a brief setback due to the onset of global

economic recession in 2008, HAMLET PROTEIN’s

growth was restored. More new products were

launched, including HP 800 Booster and HP AviStart.

Production born in the USAHAMLET PROTEIN started a new chapter in its history

in 2012 with the opening of a second factory in

Findlay, Ohio, USA. By this time, HAMLET PROTEIN

had gained international recognition for its expertise

within young animal nutrition and ability to support

customers with their starter feed formulations.

Sales growth in North America and new markets,

such as Brazil, Cambodia, Russia, Ukraine and

Vietnam, was soon once again on the way to

exceeding production capacity. HAMLET PROTEIN

invested in a second processing line in the US,

doubling capacity. A third processing line went into

operation in early 2016.

A new chapter beginsIn 2015, Altor and Goldman Sachs Merchant

Banking Division bought HAMLET PROTEIN

from Polaris and Ole Kaae Hansen. The future

of HAMLET PROTEIN is now being shaped under

this strong new ownership.

2001 - 2006 2007 - 2012 2012 2015

International sales take offWithin five years, the capacity of the Horsens factory

was expanded three times to meet growing demand

from Denmark and abroad. Work to develop new,

innovative products was continuous. In 2001, the

company was ready with a new product series

that increased the digestibility of minerals, such

as phosphorous. HP 200 for 15-30kg piglets was

launched in 2004.

One success led to another and, by 2006, the fifth

factory expansion was complete. That same year, Ole

Kaae Hansen and sales director Stephen Paul Rose

bought Oelmühle Hamburg out of the company.

What’s in a name?A name that is already well known and has strong

links to Denmark - Hamlet was an obvious choice when

Ole Kaae Hansen christened his new enterprise in 1988.

But that’s where the connection ends. Unlike the famous

Shakespeare play, the story of HAMLET PROTEIN is one

of unbroken success.