How can I feed my animals better?
A question that prompted Bernhard Wigger to found BEWITAL in 1963 – and continues to drive us today. By developing high-quality recipes, he incorporated his commitment to quality and responsibility into the feeding of his calves. 600 employees, three companies and decades of experience later, we’re answering this question again and again. And always with the goal of finding the best solution for today and tomorrow.
Stagnation? Not with us. We are constantly developing – for the animals, for the people and for the region.
Dr. Jürgen Wigger
Managing Director of BEWITAL petfood
Associate of BEWITAL Holding
Grown together.
In 2001, Bernhard Wigger transferred the company to the next generation: Dr. Jürgen Wigger and Ulrike und Jürgen Petershagen. They continue the life’s work of their father and father-in-law – along with the entire BEWITAL team. Because the employees are also a part of it: every day, they experience the solidarity, values and reliability that define BEWITAL. Together we make a strong team where diversity is valued, personal growth is encouraged and collaboration is practised on an equal footing.
We are simply us – a family-run company with clear values, direct communication and the highest standards in what we do.
Ulrike Petershagen (née Wigger)
Managing Director of westrans haulage company
Associate of BEWITAL Holding
For us it’s clear: those who are rooted in a region also have a responsibility to strengthen it. And that’s exactly what we do with passion every day.
Jürgen Petershagen
Managing Director BEWITAL agri
Associate of BEWITAL Holding
A success story
with many milestones
New company headquarters
For short distances and strong cooperation across all areas: with the construction of the new administration building over five floors and modern workplaces, central functions can be bundled under one roof - creating a modern working environment that stands for openness, further development and a shared view of the future.
New logistics centre and new spray tower for the agricultural sector
With a modern storage system and more than 13,000 pallet spaces, we offer our customers optimum delivery capability - by truck, rail or ship all over the world. The new spray tower improves efficiency, product quality and process reliability in feed production in the agricultural sector.
Conversion of factory 4 for speciality products in the agricultural sector
Ready for the next stage: Factory 4 will be comprehensively modernised, technically upgraded and optimally aligned to the new requirements as a result of the further development into a specialist for livestock nutrition. This will create the conditions for further growth and future-proof production.
Research and development centre/laboratory
Behind every innovation is well-founded research: with our own research and product development department, we drive innovation progress in the livestock and pet sectors. This enables us to test new approaches, implement customer-specific requirements directly and incorporate all our expertise into every product.
Innovative process for the production of dry food based on fresh meat
Fresh ideas for fresh flavour: thanks to a new, innovative process for the production of dry pet food, BEWITAL has succeeded in completely replacing meat meal with fresh meat. And because this saves a significant amount of energy and water during production, the new process has even received funding from the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety's Environmental Innovation Programme.
Start of wet food production
The new factory receives fresh meat from neighbouring meat companies and prepares it for dry food production. Meat preparation and dry and wet food production take place under one roof - a unique selling point of our production.
Palital GmbH & Co. KG Production of butyrates and flavours
Synergy for flavour and intestinal health: As a result of further development into a feed specialist for livestock, a joint venture is founded with a Dutch company - Pailital GmbH & Co KG for the production of butyrates and flavourings. Our goal: to jointly develop even better feed that also has positive effects on health.
Outsourcing of the forwarding division to westrans Speditionsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG
In order to meet the increasing demands on logistics and flexibility, the internal transport solution is turned into a separate haulage company. Today, westrans reliably ensures smooth processes - regionally, nationally and beyond.
Handover of BEWITAL to the next generation: Ulrike & Jürgen Petershagen & Dr Jürgen Wigger
Running a company successfully also means handing over responsibility: This is why the generational change within the Wigger family has been taking place step by step since the early 1990s. Dr Jürgen Wigger and his sister Ulrike Petershagen and brother-in-law Jürgen Petershagen took over the management of the company in 2001 - with fresh impulses and a clear commitment to the established values.
Entry into fat recycling / biodiesel production
Innovating from experience: our expertise in handling fats from animal feed production paves the way for sustainable biodiesel production. Our expertise enables us to create another future-oriented business area that combines efficiency and resource utilisation in a new way.
Launch of the BELCANDO® and LEONARDO® brands
From dog and cat food to an established brand in the specialised trade: With BELCANDO® and LEONARDO®, the product range is consistently continued - and quality is given a new name.
Start of production of dog and cat food with BEWI DOG® and bewi cat®
At the beginning of the 1980s, Bernhard Wigger developed the first recipes for dog and cat food together with nutritionists.
Factory 1 and 2 for the production of calf milk
Ground-breaking ceremony at Industriestrasse 10 in Oeding: In order to meet the growing demand, Bernhard Wigger decides to build his own factories for the production of calf milk and milk replacer for other young animals. With this investment, he creates new capacities - and the basis for growth and technological development.
Start of animal feed production
The impulse is the thought of Bernhard Wigger: ‘How can I feed the animals to support them optimally in their development?’
Founded by Bernhard Wigger
A small step towards independence, a big one for what is now a strong group of companies: In the early 1960s, Bernhard Wigger laid the foundations for BEWITAL with his own agricultural company. What began as a small agricultural company would develop over the years into one of the most important manufacturers of speciality pet food thanks to a great deal of commitment and entrepreneurial vision.
