Innovation, Sustainability and Business in the Animal Nutrition and Grain Processing Sector Marked the First Edition of VICTAM Latam

In the first week of October, 4,327 industry professionals, technicians, academics, logistics operators, entrepreneurs and producers attended the first edition of VICTAM LatAm in São Paulo. The event focused on grain and animal nutrition processing industries, including pet food, aqua feed (fish farming), poultry, pigs, ruminants and large animals, and emphasized technological innovation, sustainability, networking and business.

VICTAM events reportedly have a long tradition of being an industry meeting point and the propeller of business and technical development in markets such as the Netherlands, Thailand and Turkey. Now the event has reached Latin America, more specifically Brazil, with the goal of fomenting the interaction between local industry and international players.

"We were positively surprised by the quantity and quality of visitation. We received more than 4,300 highly qualified professionals from the animal nutrition and grain processing industries from all over Latin America. We understand that this expressive visitation is a reflection of the quality of the companies from Brazil and other countries that are exhibiting in the show and of the quality of the technology innovations in equipment for the processing, storage and transportation of grains and animal feed shown here," said managing director of VICTAM Corporation, Sebas van den Ende.

The first edition of VICTAM LatAm also received many international visitors from several neighboring countries, including Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile, Peru, Colombia and even Mexico, who came to see equipment never seen in this region.

Innovation & Business

Another factor that marked the VICTAM Latin American edition was the volume of business generated. "The debut of VICTAM Latam in Brazil was a great success. Our expectations were exceeded in terms of qualified audience, business generation and renovation of the booths for the 2025 edition. We received buyers from all over Latin America, who came to check out the machines and equipment, in order to make new purchases,” said managing director of interlink exhibitions and promoter of VICTAM LatAm 2023 in Brazil, Cassiano Facchinetti.

According to Facchinetti, next edition of VICTAM LatAm will take place in September 2025, with an increase in the exhibiting area, exhibitors' booths, and participation of new companies. "We can already say that VICTAM LatAm has become the largest and main event for this industry in Latin America."

VICTAM LatAm gathered in about 10,000 square meters, more than 150 national and international companies, representing about 250 brands, such as AGI, Andritz, Buhler, CPM, Equitec, Evonik, Famsun, Ferraz Máquinas, Kahl, Van Aarsen, Vantec, Wenger, Zheng Chang, among many others. Some of the innovations presented by the exhibitors include the following:

Equipment And Technologies for Silo Monitoring

Grunn, official representative in Brazil of Bin Master, Electro-Sensors (United States), Tandler, Siko, Kipp, Motrona, Meister (Germany), and Zimm (Austria), showed novelties in equipment and technologies for monitoring silos. Letícia Fatichi, sales director of Grunn, said that the Brazilian market has a "huge potential for growth, since there is a significant lack of storage capacity."

"If we consider the data from the National Supply Company in Brazil (CONAB), the country should have 40% more silo structures. But there is a challenge to face: incentive in Brazil the awareness regarding the importance of incorporating monitoring equipment safety into the industrial dynamics. Compared to the USA, Brazil registers an average of 4,000% more facility accidents. It is urgent to implement mandatory safety regulations," said the head of the company's sales department.

Equipment and Technologies for Research and Diagnosis

Developer of solutions for life science research and diagnostics, Bruker Corporation brought to the show microorganisms identification technology, such as fungi, bacteria, yeasts, and for origin traceability and hygiene control in food and beverage production lines. "Microbiology already has a great entry in sectors such as clinics and large companies, and the participation in events such as VICTAM LatAm opens the possibility of talking about the advantages of this technology," said technician in sales and application of Bruker do Brasil, Rodrigo Oliveira.

Mixers, dryers, heaters: Companies such as Becker Metalúrgica Industrial and Forberg presented their complete lines of equipment. "We have already participated in editions of VICTAM held in the Netherlands, Thailand and Turkey, and we are now in Brazil because we understand that this is a huge market in which we want to participate. In only two days of the show we were able to make solid contacts with local companies that were interested in our product line," said Forberg's sales director, Vladimir Jozim.

"It is important for the local market to have access to the trends, knowledge and technologies exhibited here; it is a great opportunity to step into a higher level of networking and business," said Becker's commercial director, Antônio Carlos de Campos

Animal feed additives: Companies such as Atias Química and Evnik, dedicated to the production of animal feed additives, presented innovations in favor of the quality of creation.

Vertical cultivation: One example of innovative processing was presented at the show by the Dutch Insect Engineers. The technology consists of an entire structure, equipment, and climatic system for the breeding of black soldier fly on a commercial scale.

Machinery and equipment: Paraná Industrial presented its complete product line during VICTAM LatAm 2023. The company highlighted the Self-Cleaning Mug Lifter, which facilitates and improves product loading, ensuring a reduction in waste retention. Haver & Boecker, on the other hand, focused on equipment for bagging pet food. "During the show we had a very specialized audience, searching for animal nutrition solutions", commented the company's sales engineer, André Domingos.

Information, Sustainability and Competitiveness

VICTAM LatAm 2023 also offered to the visitors an extensive program of conferences with seminars, workshops and debates. "We provide a complete experience in terms of innovation, technology, knowledge, networking, and business opportunities," said Sebas van den Ende.

VICTAM and Perendale Publishers Ltd. held the Pet Feed and Aquaculture Feed Production Conference. In three days, leading experts in the sector addressed topics such as: the differences in the design of plants for the production of PET and aquatic feed; nutrition, sustainability and Circular Economy; the importance of probiotics in aquaculture; grinding, screening and particle size control in the optimal preparation of feedstock for aquaculture feed and pet food; micro-ingredients; pet food coating; pet food extrusion; food safety; ways to save energy in the feed milling and pelleting process; among others.

In partnership with the global grain community GEAPS, the International Educational Program on Grain Quality, Processes, Storage and Equipment was carried out, in which topics such as technologies aimed at maintaining grain quality in a tropical climate were addressed; the protection of process equipment against dust explosions; combustible dust safety in the grain industry; solutions to problems in silo bridges; ways to maximize the production of bucket elevators; simulation technologies in the handling of dry bulk; among others.

EMBRAPA (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation) participated in VICTAM LatAm 2023 as the curator responsible for the conference program that dealt with business opportunities in the animal protein chains (dairy cattle, beef cattle, pigs, goats, and sheep), in the poultry and fish chains, animal nutrition, and grains (soybean, corn, and sorghum).

The International Feed Technology Conference (IFTC), organized by the University of Wageningen, brought together a team of professors and PhDs who provided visitors with information on issues related to animal nutrition and feed technology in Western Europe; recent developments in pig and poultry feed; the main challenges for the dairy cattle industry in South America; mycotoxin control and food safety in South America.

The non-profit International Responsible Soy Association (RTRS), which promotes production growth, trade and use of responsible soy, brought its Annual Conference to the event and discussed topics such as: national legislation in Latin America and how they compare to the new European Union regulation on deforestation-free products; how different countries intend to respond to the EUDR requirements; responsible production of responsible soy; sustainability and regenerative agriculture; among others.

In the Theater at the exhibition floor A unique seminar, organized by Perendale and Victam took place, Feed Milling Maximized. This seminar presented three keynote presentations along with eight quick-fire updates on equipment and technologies used in modern-day feed milling that improve efficiencies while maximizing output.

"We are very pleased with this first edition. We had great adhesion from leading companies in the sector and excellent visitation, a specialized public with decision-making power. Brazilian and Latin American markets have a great potential for business, which goes beyond the country's borders, and the companies from the countries present at the show, such as the United States, China, the Netherlands, Germany, India, are now convinced that it is strategic to participate in Victam LatAm to be part of this market", said director of VICTAM Corporation, Sebas van den Ende.

The next edition of VICTAM LatAm will take place from September 16th to 18th, 2025, at the White Pavilion of Expo Center Norte, in São Paulo Brasil. "The volume of renovations exceeded the capacity of the red pavilion, where we are today. The 2025 edition will be 50% larger in square footage," says Facchinetti.