Founded as the Central Bureau in 1899 this agricultural cooperative was assigned to support the local united farmers in purchasing fertilizers by acting as importer. In the twenties the Bureau also started to trade and produce feed and at the end of the thirties it supplied machines and operated slaughterhouses and a breeding station. After the war the cooperation developed several activities in the field of processing agricultural products. Under the name Cebeco the company merged in 1972 with the Handelsraad and was in the agriculture in the Netherlands, by far the largest in the field of trade, distribution and processing.
Cefetra (51% Cebeco and 49% regional cooperatives)
Cefetra BV bought in 1994 Cebeco Veevoeders BV from Cebeco Handelsraad. In 2003 this company was named Cefetra Feed Service (CFS). Cefetra Feed Service is specialized in niche-products like chalk, phosphates, salt, acids and potato protein, which are mainly transported by truck.
In 1999 a share of 75% was taken in the Scottish firm McCorkell from Nidera. The in Glasgow established company has selling areas in Scotland, England and Ireland. Besides an increase in scale the acquisition offers good strategic benefits. Cefetra now has a firm foot ashore on the Britisch market. In January 2003 Cefetra took over the remaining 25% interest and is now the only shareholder.
In 2002 Cefetra changed its name from Cebeco Feed Trading B.V. to Cefetra B.V. The Cebeco Group sold the outstanding shareholders' interest of 25% to the remaining shareholders of Cefetra: a group of nine regional compound feed producing cooperatives. Moreover, Cefetra moved to 'De Willemswerf' office building in Rotterdam.
Cefetra's Hungarian branch in Budapest was established in August 2002. With this branch, Cefetra continued to effectuate its internationalization policy. Initial emphasis in Hungary was placed on purchasing and originating grains for north-west European compound feed and flour industries. Next to this activity Cefetra Hungary is also importing raw materials for the feed industry, mainly soybeans via the Danube river and the port of Koper (Slovenia).
Cefetra opened a branch in Poland in May 2004. Cefetra Polska Sp. zo.o. originates grains for export and local use, and also provides mixed feed producers in Poland with imported raw materials, soybean meal in particular. Like the subsidiaries in other countries, here, too the parent company in the Netherlands supplies the ingredients to be imported. Cefetra Polska is located in the port of Gdynia.
Baltic Logistics Holding BV, a 100% Cefetra subsidiary, acquired a 50% interest in the Baltic Grain Terminal in Gdynia, Poland. This handling and storage facility was purchased from the Polish government in a joint venture with Archer Daniels Midland. With this investment Cefetra has created a competitive access to processing physical materials flows to and from Poland.
Cefetra bundles the demand for agricultural commodities of buyers in the feed, food, and fuel industries in Europe. From this combined volume, Cefetra develops supply chains with its suppliers. Cefetra plays a coordinating and organisational role within these chains.