To promote sustainable agriculture and support agricultural workers on the path towards ecological transition. With this ambitious goal, Matholding, a group specializing in solutions for efficient agriculture and water management, has acquired the agrochemical company Altinco. The operation, the amount of which has not been disclosed, represents the first acquisition by Matholding's agricultural division, CERESTIA, created this year.
Founded in Mollerussa in 1994, Altinco manufactures natural zero-residue products, suitable for sustainable and organic agriculture. Within the portfolio of this Catalan brand with more than thirty years of experience, biostimulants stand out, that is, products that enhance the natural processes of plants to improve nutrient absorption and efficiency and improve crop quality and yield. On the other hand, Altinco also offers natural biocontrols to combat pests and diseases in plants and vegetables.
With the commercialization and distribution of these agrochemical products, the Catalan company, which has 35 employees, closed 2024 with a turnover of eight million euros. Although its main market is Spain —which represents almost 60% of its turnover—, the company also markets its products in about twenty countries, which contribute the remaining 40% of its income.
With the operation, Altinco will be integrated into Matholding's agricultural division, CERESTIA, which aims to respond to the current and future challenges of the agricultural sector. A division that Matholding created this year to group its four agricultural companies to date: the manufacturer of cooking salts IQV —which gave rise to the group almost 100 years ago—, Regaber's precision irrigation solution, TerraNostra's agricultural farm modernizer, and Vegga's platform for the digitalization of agriculture.
The acquisition of Altinco represents the first operation of this new division of the group, which wants to continue expanding its portfolio of companies, with the aim of offering a global solution to farmers to face future challenges. "Altinco's catalog of organic and residue-free products strengthens CERESTIA as the comprehensive solution to respond to the current and future challenges of farmers," remarked the president of Matholding, Pau Relat. For his part, the general director of Altinco, Joan Minguella, emphasized that "both companies share values and objectives that will allow accelerating the commitment to innovation and business growth in a sustainable way throughout the world."
Relat also recalled that, throughout its history, the industrial group, founded in 1935, has "combined organic growth with strategic operations aligned with a long-term vision." A combination that this 2024 made them close the year with a record turnover of 406 million euros, 17% more than during the previous year.
But the group, which operates in 140 countries, wants to continue growing and sets itself the goal for this year of reaching 500 million euros. A milestone that Matholding also wants to achieve through new acquisitions to diversify both its agricultural division CERESTIA ---which is now strengthened with Altinco---, and the MatWater Division, focused on efficient, safe and sustainable water management.