RZ-100-wt4-E-flipbook-240702 - Flipbook - Page 79
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Abunda
Tomato
The administration department in De Lier (left), Jaap Zwaan speaking (middle) and Herman Beeftink’s 25th anniversary (right).
The opportunity to take over Rijk Zwaan seems
After it becomes clear that the Zwaan family wants
to be better than ever. At one point, there are
to sell the company, negotiations can begin.
two serious candidates: BP-Nutrition – part of
Although the new Board members immediately
BP – and US company Asgrow – part of Upjohn –
raise the possibility of a management buyout, this
which already sells seeds in Spain for Rijk Zwaan.
doesn’t seem to be an option. Financing is too big
It promises to be an exciting battle between the
a stumbling block for the brand-new Board. The
two contenders.
candidate with the best qualifications on paper is
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Ventura
Cucumber
BP-Nutrition. Through Van de Eijnden, Rijk Zwaan
For the Rijk Zwaan Board, it soon becomes clear
has already been in contact with this British
that the sale of the company is inevitable. An
company. The continued existence of Rijk Zwaan
analysis shows that Rijk Zwaan is too weak to
as an independent entity seems to in safe hands
invest enough with its own resources to acquire
with this company. However, US-based Asgrow
and apply the new biotechnological knowledge.
is offering such a higher price that the battle is
Despite the changes the company underwent
still going to be exciting. In consultation with
in the 1970s, Rijk Zwaan still appears not to
new Board members Ben Tax (since 1986) and
have kept up enough with developments in the
Anton van Doornmalen (since 1985), all of the
business world. The company is still too centrally
options are reviewed. Jaap Zwaan also asks the
managed and has continued to make most of
works council for its opinion. Although Asgrow has
its investments in breeding, whereas expansion
made a better financial offer, the shareholders
of the sales force, especially abroad, should
ultimately opt for UK-based BP-Nutrition, mainly
perhaps have been paid more attention.
because of the company’s guarantees of conti-
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Launch of
RZ France
nuity and independence for Rijk Zwaan. A press
One of Rijk Zwaan’s strengths in the above analysis
release informs the national press about these
is the good atmosphere in which its employees
developments on 25 February 1986.
carry out their work. Despite somewhat backward
management techniques, Rijk Zwaan’s people
Not just does the Zwaan family benefit financially
are performing very well indeed. The future owner
from this transaction – all the employees will also
– Asgrow or BP-Nutrition – will have to become
receive a considerable share of the profits as a
accustomed to this sense of togetherness.
result of the sale. This profit-sharing scheme is
based on the number of years employees have
worked at Rijk Zwaan. The payment can amount
to several tens of thousands of guilders. Because
most employees at Rijk Zwaan have a large
1983-1984
number of years of service behind them, in many
cases the payments are quite considerable.
1980-1986 | Troubled times | A parent
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