About Virbac South Africa

1968

Pierre-Richard Dick, a French veterinarian, creates the SARL Virbac biological research center.

1970

We take our first steps internationally thanks to distribution partnerships in Benelux and the Federal Republic of Germany.

1970

We develop the first insecticide collar for dogs, which would later become one of our flagship products. 

1973

We take a new step forward with the construction of the building of our future headquarters in Carros, near Nice, quickly adding a production and storage unit and a loading dock.

1977

We make available in France the first cephalosporin in veterinary medicine (for dogs, cats and cattle), thus providing an alternative to the cephalosporins derived from human pharmaceuticals.

1982

In response to the viral gastroenteritis epidemic decimating dog breeding, we create the first parvovirus-based vaccine approved for dogs, thus entering the very exclusive club of innovative vaccine-developing laboratories.

1982

The opening of our first subsidiary in Germany, following acquisition of local distributor VMG, marks the beginning of our deployment in Europe.

1985

Number-two French animal health laboratory, we start to trade on the secondary market of the Paris stock exchange.

1987

With the acquisition of Allerderm Inc., we propel ourselves into the United States market. A specialist in the new veterinary dermatology market, we become the world leader a few years later.

1988

By designing the first genetically engineered vaccine against feline leukemia made from a purified p45 FeLV-envelope retrovirus, we provide veterinarians with an effective solution against a disease in cats for which there was no cure at the time.

1989

We open a new door with the acquisition of Imperial Dog, a dog and cat food manufacturer, founded by the creator of Royal Canin, now Virbac Nutrition.

1991

In Europe, we continue to move forward by offering the first oral anti-rabies vaccine for foxes, obtained by selective mutation.

1992

Our founder Pierre-Richard Dick, doctor of veterinary medicine, dies suddenly at the age of 55 while on a Central American sea voyage. Pascal Boissy, then financial director, succeeds him to head the company. Six months later, we adopt a new organizational structure made up of an executive board and a supervisory board, of which Jeanine Dick, wife of the founder, becomes chairwoman.

1992

We push our international expansion further with the creation of our first subsidiary in Asia (a partnership with Maruyasu, a Japanese import-export company).

1996

Numerous companies created to develop our company on French territory merge into a single subsidiary, Virbac France, formalizing the beginning of the Virbac umbrella brand.

1998

Through its “I love my pet, I vaccinate it” poster campaign, we raise the general public’s awareness of vaccination in France. 

1999

Eric Marée, 48 years old, graduate of HEC and holder of an MBA from Cornell University in the United States, becomes chairman of the Virbac executive board.

1999

Thanks to the acquisition of Agri-Nutrition, a company based in St. Louis (Missouri), we acquire a range of dental care and hygiene products.

2001

We make available to European veterinarians the first interferon omega for dogs and cats.

2001

The Pierre-Richard Dick Foundation, created in 1993 after our founder’s death, becomes the Virbac Corporate Foundation. It aims to raise public awareness, educate and inform, especially children, about issues related to the integration and well-being of animals in cities. 

2001

We partner with Jean-Pierre Dick, son of our founder and doctor of veterinary medicine, on his sailing adventure: through his involvement in epic races, the skipper helps to enhance the veterinary profession, promote animal health and our values in the four corners of the world.

2006

Marie-Hélène Dick, daughter of our founder, doctor of veterinary medicine and MBA graduate from HEC, is named chairwoman of Virbac’s supervisory board.

2006

We strengthen our presence with Indian veterinarians and farmers thanks to the acquisition of Agrivet Farm Care, the animal health branch of GlaxoSmithKline. A collaboration that allows us to become number 1 in this country. 

2008

With 7 production units, we currently have an industrial park on five continents (France, United States, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, South Africa and Vietnam) to bring our health solutions ever closer to those who care for animals.

2008

We share with veterinarians the first deslorelin-based implant, inducing a reversible neutering in male dogs.

2010

We sign an agreement with Pfizer Inc. to acquire the Australian rights to a range of products for food producing animals, primarily parasiticides and vaccines for cattle and sheep.

2012

Committed to the animal proteins of the future, we acquire a majority share of Centrovet, animal health market leader in Chile, expert in the development and production of innovative products for the protection and treatment of cold water aquaculture farms (salmon and trout).

2015

We acquire Schweitzer Biotech Company, a Taiwanese company that is an expert in the development of cell culture banks serving as the basis for production of viral vaccines primarily for swine and poultry. This acquisition gives the impulse to the creation of a new biology R&D structure in Southeast Asia, a region recognized for the largest swine and aquaculture (warm water) markets on the planet.

2015

The Virbac Corporate Foundation, aware of the challenges related to the interconnection between animal, human, and environmental health, is committed to a screening, control, and prevention program for bovine tuberculosis and rabies in the Gonarezhou Park (Zimbabwe). 

2016

After the building of VB8 in Carros in 2014, dedicated to the manufacture of sterile injectables, we continue to invest in quality and production capacity with the construction of Argo Navis, VB8’s alter ego in Mexico. 

2017

After the physiological range in 2016, we provide dog and cat owners with a range of dietetic petfood. Their composition is particularly suited to the dietary needs of carnivores. 

2017

At the helm of St. Michel-Virbac, Jean-Pierre Dick wins his fourth Jacques Vabre Race (a first in the history of the Coffee Race). This victory marks a turning point in the life of the sailor and the most fitting closure to his 17 years of adventures around the world, flying the colors of our company. 

2017

Sébastien Huron, 47 years old, doctor of veterinary medicine, head of Global Business Operations, and member of the executive board since 2012, succeeds Éric Marée as chairman of Virbac.

2018

In September, we celebrate our 50^th anniversary. Along with the family of our founder, nearly 3,000 connected employees share in a two-day event that unfolds in an atmosphere of warmth, intercultural sharing and engagement in the service of animal health.

2018

We make a food supplement available in several Asian countries (Taiwan, Vietnam, The Philippines, South Korea and Thailand) to improve the survival of piglets from birth to ten days old. 

2018

We win a Pharmapack Europe Award for the Smart Cap, a cap for safe extraction of liquid products (also recognized by the ADF Paris Awards in 2019). A great reward for our teams!

2018

We include in our range of chews the first dental technology that fights both the oral and digestive causes of bad breath in dogs (Fr3sh).

2019

We make a jump in several Asian countries thanks to a preventive solution against porcine circovirus, a virus responsible for significant losses in farms. Developed by our teams with the genotype predominant in most regions of the world, this vaccine helps limit the impact of this disease in one of the world's most important swine production areas.

2020

We offer to the European and North American veterinarians the first intratumoral injectable for canine mastocytomas, the second most frequently diagnosed cancer and the most common skin cancer. With this novel injectable solution, we are opening a new path in the treatment of canine skin tumors.