GARDABAER, ICELAND – On Jan. 23, Marel announced an agreement to acquire Poultry Machinery Joosten B.V. (PMJ), a duck and goose processing company based in Opmeer, Netherlands.

With approximately 40 employees today, PMJ began operations in 1998 and has grown into a waterfowl processing company known around the world.

“The acquisition of PMJ is a logical step for Marel to expand its third pillar within poultry processing alongside broilers and turkey,” said Roger Claessens, executive vice president of poultry at Marel. “Technical expertise and an impressive track record of continuous product innovation are defining characteristics of both PMJ and Marel.

PMJ’s management team will stay on board and ensure business continuity for employees and customers, serving as the duck knowledge center.

“The high quality of PMJ’s solutions reflects the company’s 23 years of dedication to duck processing,” Claessens continued. “With our combined efforts and continued focus on innovation, we will be in a stronger position to transform the duck industry in partnership with our customers.”

Marel said PMJ’s annual revenues are around 5 million Euros.

Some of PMJ’s products for primary processing include waxing and automated evisceration. Marel said this will help broaden customer base in the duck segment and leverage its global sales and service network while it expands into new markets.

“We are proud of PMJ and what we have achieved together with all our loyal employees and customers worldwide,” said Bas van der Veldt, chief executive officer of PMJ. “Our expertise in duck processing technology, our innovative solutions and our experienced employees, combined with the broad processing knowledge and worldwide coverage of Marel, will be the next step forward in serving our customer base even better.”