Novozymes

Novozymes A/S
Aktieselskab
Traded as Nasdaq Copenhagen: NZYM B
Industry Biotechnology
Founded 2000
Headquarters Bagsværd, Denmark
Key people
 Henrik Gürtler (Chairman), Peder Holk Nielsen (President and CEO)
Products Enzymes, microorganisms, biopharmaceutical ingredients
Revenue DKK 12,459 million(2014)[1]
DKK 3,384 million(2014)[1]
DKK 2,525 million (2014)[1]
Number of employees
 6,454 (2014)[1]
Parent Novo A/S
Website www.novozymes.com

Novozymes A/S is a global biotechnology company headquartered in Bagsværd outside of Copenhagen, Denmark employing exactly 6,485 people by the end of 2015. The company has operations in a number of countries around the world, including China, India, Brazil, Argentina, United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada.[1] Class B shares of its stock are listed on the NASDAQ OMX Nordic exchange.[2]

The company’s focus is the research, development and production of industrial enzymes, microorganisms, and biopharmaceutical ingredients.

History

In 1925 the brothers Harald and Thorvald Pedersen founded Novo Terapeutisk Laboratorium and Nordisk Insulinlaboratorium with the aim to produce insulin. In 1941 the company's predecessor launched its first enzyme, trypsin, extracted from the pancreas of animals and used to soften leather, and was the first to produce enzymes by fermentation using bacteria in 1950s.[3][4] In the late 1980s Novozymes presented the world’s first fat-splitting enzyme for detergents manufactured with genetically engineered microorganisms, called Lipolase.[5]

The current Novozymes was founded in 2000 as a spinout from pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk.[3]

In the 2000s Novozymes expanded through acquisition of several companies focusing on business outside the core enzyme business. Amongst them were the Brazilian bioagricultural company Turfal and German pharmaceutical, chemical and life science company EMD/Merck Crop BioScience Inc.[6] These acquisitions made Novozymes a leader in sustainable solutions for the agricultural biological industry.[7]

In January 2016 the company spun out its biopharmaceutical operations into Albumedix.[8]

Ownership

The Novozymes class A share capital is held by Novo A/S, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Novo Nordisk Foundation. In addition, Novo A/S holds 5,826,280 B shares, which overall gives Novo A/S 25.5% of the total share capital and 70.1% of the votes.[2][1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "The Novozymes Report 2014". Novozymes. Novozymes. 20 January 2015. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
  2. 1 2 NASDAQ OMX Nordic (5 April 2004). "NASDAQ OMX Nordic Novozymes Information". NASDAQ OMX Nordic. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
  3. 1 2 Novozymes Novozymes' history Page accessed August 31, 2014
  4. ↑ Parameswaran, B et al (2013) http://nopr.niscair.res.in/bitstream/123456789/17451/1/JSIR%2072(5)%20271-286.pdf Industrial Enzymes - Present Status & Future Perspectives for India Journal of scientific and industrial research 72:271-286.
  5. ↑ Susan Watts for the New Scientist, Issue 1671. 01 July 1989. Engineered enzyme washes whiter than white
  6. ↑ Gelu Sulugiuc for Bloomberg News. 20 Dex, 2010 Novozymes Buys Merck Crop Business for $275 Million
  7. ↑ Frank Vinluan for Xconomy 6 August 2014 Novozymes’ BioAg R&D Turns to Microbials to Boost Crop Yields
  8. ↑ "Novozymes Spins Out Albumedix - GEN". GEN.
  • Official website
  • Fahey, Jonathan (April 22, 2010). "Are We Getting Closer to 'Clean' Ethanol?". Forbes.
  • Forbes Magazine: "100 Corporations That Will Survive 100 Years" (January 28, 2009)
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