History of Provimi US

Carl Akey
1963
In 1963 Carl S. Akey began marketing a line of swine feed premixes that he had developed over the course of many years. For the next 10 years Mr. Akey worked as an entrepreneur, arranging for other feed manufacturers to toll mill his products and supervising deliveries.
Akey employees
1973
In 1973, Carl hired his first employee, Randy Creech, and then three additional employees to service his Ohio and Indiana markets. He also purchased his first tractor-trailer and hired a dedicated truck driver, which was the beginning of a 50 plus fleet for Akey.
Akey logo
1975
In 1975 Carl S. Akey became incorporated and was founded by the company’s namesake, Carl S. Akey. The slogan for the Company was “Serving the Feed Industry.”
Lewisburg facility
1976
In 1976 Carl opened a feed production facility near Lewisburg, Ohio with one mixer in a 20,000 square foot warehouse.
Mr. Akey and Kay Akey Creech
1979
In 1979 Mr. Akey’s daughter, Kay Akey Creech, joined the company. She developed the company’s computerized accounting system and assisted her father in the daily business operations.
Dr. Roger Kline
1979
That same year, Dr. Roger Kline was hired as the first Ph.D. Nutritionist for Akey.
Akey expansion
1980
By 1980, Akey’s primary business reached regional feed mills in eight states throughout the Midwest and Eastern regions of the United States, and employment had grown to 96 employees.
Swine research nursery
1983
In 1983, Akey began focusing on swine research and built their first swine nursery research barn in Lewisburg, Ohio.
Nutrena Mills feed bag
1986
Working with outsourced production in 1986, Akey launched a pelleted feed for swine in the Piglet Prestarter Program or the Pig 2000® as it is called today.
1988
1988
By 1988, the company had grown to include five nutritionists and nine salesmen working in large swine and poultry farms. The market had grown to include 26 U.S. states and had expanded into Canada and Taiwan.
Kay Akey Creech
1989
In 1989 Mr. Akey sold his business to Kay Akey Creech who served the company as Chief Executive Officer. Following the sale Mr. Akey continued to serve as Chairman of the Board, and Kay continued to lead the business, which was known throughout the feed industry as a leader in developing and marketing innovative, cost-effective products for livestock and poultry producers.
Ken Terry Dwight
1990
The Akey business continued to grow and by the late 1990’s there were 287 employees serving 31 U.S. states and business expanded into additional International countries including Jamaica, Mexico, Ecuador, China and Japan.
Dwight Armstrong
1991
In 1991 Carl Akey retired from the company, making Kay Akey Creech the President, Dwight Armstrong became Executive Vice President and Mark Poeschl Vice President of Operations. The business continued to develop and the team hired its first Ruminant Nutritionist, Jim Aldrich, Ph.D.
Second research facility
1992
Akey built a second research facility for grow-to-finish pigs in 1992 in Lewisburg, OH. Four years later, a seven room commercial swine research nursery was built in New Paris, OH.
AAMPS logo
1995
1995 marked the launch of an Amino Acid and Metabolizable Protein System, otherwise known as AAMPS®, as Akey’s proprietary ration balancing program. This program is a cornerstone of the Provimi dairy business today in the U.S.
Calf research barn
1998
In 1998 Akey built a calf research barn in New Paris, Ohio.
Lewisburg office
1999
The company relocated the sales and nutrition teams to a separate office location on Clay Street in Lewisburg, Ohio called the Nutrition and Research Center.
Leader in Nutrition Solutions
1999
Technology advanced with the installation of SAP enterprise and Format formulation software. With these innovations a new tag line emerged, “Akey – A Leader in Nutrition Solutions.”
Flocktrak products
1999
In 1999 Akey also launched FLOCKtrak™, an egg production records management and benchmarking database used to provide producers easy-to-use data.
Provimi logo
2000
In 2000 Akey, Inc. was purchased by Provimi Group, which was originally founded in 1927 and is headquartered in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Vigortone logo
2000
With this merger Akey expanded its offering to include Provimi’s Vigortone Ag Products, which was founded in 1912 by E. B. Fenton, DVM. Provimi Group purchased Vigortone in 1998.
NANCO
2001
In 2001 Provimi formed the North American Nutrition Companies, Inc. (NANCO). Akey became a business unit of NANCO and continued to operate under the Akey name.
High-rise swine research facility
2005
In 2005, Akey expanded their swine research capabilities through the purchase of a high-rise swine research facility. Not long after this aquisition, a 1000 head wean-to-finish swine research facility was built in New Madison, Ohio.
Charles Shininger and Brookville office
2009
The corporate headquarters office moved to Brookville, Ohio and Charles Shininger was named President and CEO.
NeoTec4 logo
2010
In 2010, Akey launched its first nutritional supplement for calves. NeoTec4 was developed at the Nurture Research Center and helps customers achieve better calf performance by supplementing essential fatty acids.
Cargill logo
2011
In 2011, Cargill, Inc. purchased the Provimi group. The original Akey business unit continued to go-to-market with the Akey name, but became a part of the Cargill organization, which included over 150,000 employees across a global network spanning 70 countries.
Provimi logo
2011
The Provimi acquisition was one of the largest acquisition in Cargill’s history. This merger strengthened Akey’s ability to offer distinctive value to serve customers’ needs worldwide.
Enteligen logo
2012
Due to the Cargill acquisition, Akey was able to offer customers additional digital services. Pig Flash Model, Enteligen™ and MAX™ System for Pork, could now provide customers faster, smarter data for decision making. The Pig Flash Model is a customizable model that uses today’s commodity prices to provide a 12-month snapshot of potential profitability. Enteligen™ is Cargill’s proprietary environmental assessment software that allows us to evaluate customers’ barns and make science-based recommendations that ultimately result in improved pig performance. MAX™ System for Pork builds a virtual model of a customer’s operation and provides a specially-tailored diet formulation that adjusts and adapts to factors such as intake and environment.
Vigortone anniversary logo
2012
In 2012, Vigortone celebrated its 100-year Anniversary.
Akey 50 year anniversary
2013
In 2013, Akey celebrated its 50-year Anniversary.
2015
2015
In 2015, Akey transitioned its go-to-market brand within the United States to Provimi. Within the Cargill Animal Nutrition enterprise there are four global go-to-market brands: Provimi®, EWOS®, Purina® and Cargill®. (Cargill goes to market as Purina outside the U.S. only)
2017
2017
In 2017, Tom Taylor was named as Managing Director for Provimi U.S.
2017 Hoover Groundbreaking
2017
On November 8, 2017, groundbreaking ceremony took place for new $50 million animal feed facility that will manufacture non-medicated, antibiotic-free products to meet growing demand .
 
Carl Akey
1963
In 1963 Carl S. Akey began marketing a line of swine feed premixes that he had developed over the course of many years. For the next 10 years Mr. Akey worked as an entrepreneur, arranging for other feed manufacturers to toll mill his products and supervising deliveries.
Akey employees
1973
In 1973, Carl hired his first employee, Randy Creech, and then three additional employees to service his Ohio and Indiana markets. He also purchased his first tractor-trailer and hired a dedicated truck driver, which was the beginning of a 50 plus fleet for Akey.
Akey logo
1975
In 1975 Carl S. Akey became incorporated and was founded by the company’s namesake, Carl S. Akey. The slogan for the Company was “Serving the Feed Industry.”
Lewisburg facility
1976
In 1976 Carl opened a feed production facility near Lewisburg, Ohio with one mixer in a 20,000 square foot warehouse.
Mr. Akey and Kay Akey Creech
1979
In 1979 Mr. Akey’s daughter, Kay Akey Creech, joined the company. She developed the company’s computerized accounting system and assisted her father in the daily business operations.
Dr. Roger Kline
1979
That same year, Dr. Roger Kline was hired as the first Ph.D. Nutritionist for Akey.
Akey expansion
1980
By 1980, Akey’s primary business reached regional feed mills in eight states throughout the Midwest and Eastern regions of the United States, and employment had grown to 96 employees.
Swine research nursery
1983
In 1983, Akey began focusing on swine research and built their first swine nursery research barn in Lewisburg, Ohio.
Nutrena Mills feed bag
1986
Working with outsourced production in 1986, Akey launched a pelleted feed for swine in the Piglet Prestarter Program or the Pig 2000® as it is called today.
1988
1988
By 1988, the company had grown to include five nutritionists and nine salesmen working in large swine and poultry farms. The market had grown to include 26 U.S. states and had expanded into Canada and Taiwan.
Kay Akey Creech
1989
In 1989 Mr. Akey sold his business to Kay Akey Creech who served the company as Chief Executive Officer. Following the sale Mr. Akey continued to serve as Chairman of the Board, and Kay continued to lead the business, which was known throughout the feed industry as a leader in developing and marketing innovative, cost-effective products for livestock and poultry producers.
Ken Terry Dwight
1990
The Akey business continued to grow and by the late 1990’s there were 287 employees serving 31 U.S. states and business expanded into additional International countries including Jamaica, Mexico, Ecuador, China and Japan.
Dwight Armstrong
1991
In 1991 Carl Akey retired from the company, making Kay Akey Creech the President, Dwight Armstrong became Executive Vice President and Mark Poeschl Vice President of Operations. The business continued to develop and the team hired its first Ruminant Nutritionist, Jim Aldrich, Ph.D.
Second research facility
1992
Akey built a second research facility for grow-to-finish pigs in 1992 in Lewisburg, OH. Four years later, a seven room commercial swine research nursery was built in New Paris, OH.
AAMPS logo
1995
1995 marked the launch of an Amino Acid and Metabolizable Protein System, otherwise known as AAMPS®, as Akey’s proprietary ration balancing program. This program is a cornerstone of the Provimi dairy business today in the U.S.
Calf research barn
1998
In 1998 Akey built a calf research barn in New Paris, Ohio.
Lewisburg office
1999
The company relocated the sales and nutrition teams to a separate office location on Clay Street in Lewisburg, Ohio called the Nutrition and Research Center.
Leader in Nutrition Solutions
1999
Technology advanced with the installation of SAP enterprise and Format formulation software. With these innovations a new tag line emerged, “Akey – A Leader in Nutrition Solutions.”
Flocktrak products
1999
In 1999 Akey also launched FLOCKtrak™, an egg production records management and benchmarking database used to provide producers easy-to-use data.
Provimi logo
2000
In 2000 Akey, Inc. was purchased by Provimi Group, which was originally founded in 1927 and is headquartered in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Vigortone logo
2000
With this merger Akey expanded its offering to include Provimi’s Vigortone Ag Products, which was founded in 1912 by E. B. Fenton, DVM. Provimi Group purchased Vigortone in 1998.
NANCO
2001
In 2001 Provimi formed the North American Nutrition Companies, Inc. (NANCO). Akey became a business unit of NANCO and continued to operate under the Akey name.
High-rise swine research facility
2005
In 2005, Akey expanded their swine research capabilities through the purchase of a high-rise swine research facility. Not long after this aquisition, a 1000 head wean-to-finish swine research facility was built in New Madison, Ohio.
Charles Shininger and Brookville office
2009
The corporate headquarters office moved to Brookville, Ohio and Charles Shininger was named President and CEO.
NeoTec4 logo
2010
In 2010, Akey launched its first nutritional supplement for calves. NeoTec4 was developed at the Nurture Research Center and helps customers achieve better calf performance by supplementing essential fatty acids.
Cargill logo
2011
In 2011, Cargill, Inc. purchased the Provimi group. The original Akey business unit continued to go-to-market with the Akey name, but became a part of the Cargill organization, which included over 150,000 employees across a global network spanning 70 countries.
Provimi logo
2011
The Provimi acquisition was one of the largest acquisition in Cargill’s history. This merger strengthened Akey’s ability to offer distinctive value to serve customers’ needs worldwide.
Enteligen logo
2012
Due to the Cargill acquisition, Akey was able to offer customers additional digital services. Pig Flash Model, Enteligen™ and MAX™ System for Pork, could now provide customers faster, smarter data for decision making. The Pig Flash Model is a customizable model that uses today’s commodity prices to provide a 12-month snapshot of potential profitability. Enteligen™ is Cargill’s proprietary environmental assessment software that allows us to evaluate customers’ barns and make science-based recommendations that ultimately result in improved pig performance. MAX™ System for Pork builds a virtual model of a customer’s operation and provides a specially-tailored diet formulation that adjusts and adapts to factors such as intake and environment.
Vigortone anniversary logo
2012
In 2012, Vigortone celebrated its 100-year Anniversary.
Akey 50 year anniversary
2013
In 2013, Akey celebrated its 50-year Anniversary.
2015
2015
In 2015, Akey transitioned its go-to-market brand within the United States to Provimi. Within the Cargill Animal Nutrition enterprise there are four global go-to-market brands: Provimi®, EWOS®, Purina® and Cargill®. (Cargill goes to market as Purina outside the U.S. only)
2017
2017
In 2017, Tom Taylor was named as Managing Director for Provimi U.S.
2017 Hoover Groundbreaking
2017
On November 8, 2017, groundbreaking ceremony took place for new $50 million animal feed facility that will manufacture non-medicated, antibiotic-free products to meet growing demand .