Kekkilä-BVB to strengthen its market position on the German, Italian and French growing media markets

Kekkilä-BVB Oy, a subsidiary of Neova Oy, has signed an agreement for the acquisition of the German Brill Substrate and Brill Papenburg Logistics. The whole transaction comprises a growing media factory in Germany, which produces different growing media for the Central European market, as well as its own port and terminal area in Papenburg, Germany, on the river Ems. Brill Substrate also owns 50% of the growing media factory in Italy and has its own sales company in France.

The combined turnover of Brill Substrate and Brill Logistics is over EUR 25 million and the company employs over 60 people. The figures do not include the turnover and staff of the Italian unit.

According to Neova CEO Vesa Tempakka, the goal is to complete the transaction early next year. “In 2018, we selected the international growing media market and growing on it as Neova’s key strategic business area,” Tempakka says. In 2018, Neova’s turnover in this area was over EUR 100 million. In 2021, the turnover of Neova’s Grow&Care division is around EUR 350 million and it has around 600 employees. Companies within the division operate in 11 countries and exports already cover more than 100 countries. “With these figures, we are the leading company in the industry in Europe. With this transaction, we will strengthen our foothold in Europe’s large markets in Germany, Italy and France,” Tempakka says.

Brill Substrate’s strong position as a supplier of growing media, especially for young vegetable plants and seedlings, is a good support for the product range of Kekkilä-BVB’s twelve growing media factories. “Having own port and terminal area will enhance Kekkilä-BVB’s operational efficiency of raw materials to own Central European production units and partners. We believe that by combining our strengths in production, distribution and sales, we will be able to boost our sales throughout Central Europe. We are also pleased to have Brill employees supporting the success of Kekkilä-BVB, as well as including Brill and TerraBRILL brands to our brand portfolio”, says Juha Mäkinen, CEO of Kekkilä-BVB.

Horticultural engineer Gerrit Brill, longtime sole owner and managing director of Gebr. Brill Substrate GmbH & Co. KG, explains: “This is the best possible way for the continuity of our family business Gebr. Brill Substrate and the affiliated company Brill Papenburg Logistics under a new strong roof. Kekkilä-BVB has a reliable and highly professional reputation in the market. We have prepared the companies well for the deal and for the coming months so that our employees and customers can start the new season and the further future with confidence.”

For further information, please contact:

• CEO Vesa Tempakka, Neova Oy, tel. +358 (0)40 072 6727
• CEO Juha Mäkinen, Kekkilä-BVB Oy, tel. +358 (0)40 046 4549
• Chief Financial Officer Jarmo Santala, Neova Oy, tel. +358 (0)40 801 9191
• Director, Communications and Public Affairs, Ahti Martikainen, Neova Oy tel. +358 (0)40 680 4723