What Viscofan is and which company this profile covers
Viscofan is a Spanish industrial group that manufactures food casings and develops other products using its expertise in collagen and materials. Its listed parent is Viscofan, S.A., tax identifier A31065501, with its registered office and headquarters at Calle Berroa 15, fourth floor, Tajonar, Navarra. Its Navarra commercial-registry file is NA-362.
The parent principally holds and manages investments following the transfer of Spanish industrial activities to Viscofan España, S.L.U. in 2021. This profile therefore uses consolidated accounts: the group’s industrial sales are different from the parent company’s separate revenue.
Sources: Company and group: 2025 accounts · Viscofan legal identity and registration.
Navarrese origins and international expansion
The company was incorporated on 17 October 1975 as Viscofan, Industria Navarra de Envolturas Celulósicas, S.A.; it adopted its current name in 2002. Among its founders, the 2015 report specifically remembers Jaime Echevarría.
The stock-market listing followed in 1986. Acquiring Naturin in Germany in 1990 and Teepak assets in North America in 2006 broadened technologies and markets. The group bought IAN in 1988 and sold it in 2015; it should no longer be described as owning that food business. It subsequently acquired Vector, Supralon and Nitta Casings, and in Brazil acquired 60% of Brasfibra and Master Couros in 2024 and 51% of Pet Mania in 2025.
Sources: Company and group: 2025 accounts · 2015 report: remembrance of Jaime Echevarría · Viscofan corporate history.
Ownership and dated leadership information
At 31 December 2025, Viscofan reported significant interests of 14.25% for Corporación Financiera Alba and 5.03% for Angustias y Sol. This is a year-end ownership snapshot, not a share price or a daily update of holdings. The subsidiary list distinguishes industrial and commercial companies across countries; a product brand does not by itself constitute a subsidiary.
As checked on 8 November 2026, José Domingo de Ampuero y Osma is non-executive chairman and José Antonio Canales García is chief executive. Canales has held the latter role since 1 January 2024. These separate positions mean that day-to-day executive leadership should not be attributed to the non-executive chairman.
Sources: Ownership at year-end 2025 · Group companies at year-end 2025 · Board and leadership: checked November 2026.
An industrial supplier within the food chain
The typical customer is a food manufacturer, served directly or through distributors. Casings help shape the product and influence processing, preservation and presentation. In many cases, cellulose and fibrous casings are removed before food reaches the consumer. Viscofan produces an industrial component, not every sausage or brand using it.
Manufacturing combines physicochemical preparation of raw materials, extrusion, washing, neutralisation and subsequent operations. Inputs include cellulose, bovine collagen, abaca paper and polymers, alongside chemicals, water and energy. From an occupational-prevention perspective, machinery interventions and chemicals require specific controls; interpreting the process this way is not an exposure measurement for each plant.
Sources: Manufacturing and value chain · Raw materials, chemicals and energy.
Casings, plant-based solutions and ingredients
The catalogue includes cellulose, collagen, fibrous and plastic products, with developments serving different processor requirements. Viscofan Veggie is an edible plant-based casing for vegetarian and vegan recipes; it is an available product, not an announced project. Diversification includes films and bags; Pet Mania contributes pet treats.
COLLinstant identifies a family of hydrolysed collagen ingredients; SatisCOLL is presented as native bovine collagen for food formulation. They are described here as products and brands associated with the group. Their commercial health messages are not converted into clinical recommendations or evidence of occupational-risk prevention.
Sources: 2025 businesses and revenue · Viscofan Veggie: plant-based casing · COLLinstant: collagen ingredients · SatisCOLL: native collagen for food formulation · Viscofan corporate history.
International presence and relevant facilities
The 2025 report places the group’s own presence in 21 countries and its customers in more than 100. These are different measures: selling into a market does not imply having a factory there. Cáseda and Urdiain are industrial locations in Navarra; the network also includes Weinheim in Germany, Suzhou in China, Danville and Montgomery in the United States, and plants in Mexico, Brazil and Uruguay. Rayong, Thailand, started its collagen and cellulose casing shirring plant in 2024.
Consolidated 2025 revenue by region was EUR 512.742 million in EMEA, EUR 387.358 million in North America, EUR 181.416 million in South America and EUR 170.467 million in Asia-Pacific. These regional amounts add up to the group total; they are not additional sales.
Sources: Manufacturing and commercial presence · Group companies at year-end 2025 · 2025 revenue by business and region · Viscofan corporate history.
Economic scale: distinct revenue and profit measures
The consolidated accounts for January–December 2025 report EUR 1,251.983 million in sales and services, compared with EUR 1,203.994 million in 2024. This is the size-selection measure. It includes EUR 1,033.697 million from Traditional Business, EUR 159.728 million from New Businesses and EUR 58.558 million of other energy revenue. The last component is included in reported sales, despite wording that might suggest a different classification.
Operating profit was EUR 204.794 million. Total profit for the year was EUR 158.470 million; parent-attributable profit of EUR 159.917 million exceeds that total because non-controlling interests bore a EUR 1.447 million loss. Attributable profit was EUR 157.019 million in 2024. Recognising tax-loss carryforwards had a EUR 18.009 million income-statement impact in 2025: profit growth should not be attributed solely to industrial improvements.
Sources: 2025 consolidated income statement · 2025 businesses and revenue · 2025 tax expense and tax credits.
Average workforce and year-end headcount
Viscofan reports an average workforce of 5,721 full-time equivalents in 2025, compared with 5,163 in 2024. The workforce section expressly explains the equivalence criterion; this average should not be presented as a headcount on a particular date. At year-end 2025 there were 5,921 people, compared with 5,323 a year earlier, comprising 4,071 men and 1,850 women.
Workforce expansion relates to the Brazilian acquisitions, the Thai plant and increased production needs. The profile is industrial: operators and specialised personnel account for 52% and 16% of the average workforce respectively. Training, shift organisation and integrating new facilities require attention to each job’s risks, without automatically extending one factory’s results to the whole group.
Sources: Average workforce and year-end headcount.
Research, digitalisation and application boundaries
R&D is coordinated from a corporate centre in Spain with teams at the plants. The report describes work on machine vision, predictive maintenance, materials movement and models for demand, energy efficiency and quality parameters. These are specific industrial applications; they do not by themselves prove accident reduction or establish autonomous AI safety decisions.
Diversification explores collagen uses beyond casings. Cited projects include TriAnkle, addressing personalised implants through 3D manufacturing, and collaborations in cardiac regeneration and organ-on-chip models. Research participation is not equivalent to general clinical availability or regulatory approval of every outcome.
Sources: Diversification and research projects · Technology and digital transformation.
How prevention is organised
The corporate Operational Sustainability department works with corporate and local Human Resources. The company reports safety managers at every manufacturing location and a corporate safety manager. Its system includes assessment of main and auxiliary processes, inspections, audits and analysis of accident categories.
Following an accident, the described procedure gathers information, interviews people involved and witnesses, and examines working conditions. It then proposes changes to procedures, equipment or training. The corporate team tracks implementation through reviews and audits. Preventive usefulness lies in checking that a correction reaches the workplace and remains effective, rather than merely closing a record.
Sources: Prevention system and accident investigation · 2025 occupational safety and health actions.
System coverage and ISO 45001
Viscofan states that its safety and health system covers 100% of its personnel. This does not mean every plant is certified. The 2025 list includes ISO 45001 at Cáseda, Urdiain, Danville, Montgomery and other locations, while Rayong and Sydney are marked as planned for 2026, and Brasfibra and Pet Mania as not certified. Plans from that report remain plans here; the passage of time does not establish completed certification.
ISO 45001 must also be distinguished from quality or food-safety certification. Product safety and protection of the people manufacturing it have different purposes, evidence and controls.
Sources: Prevention system and accident investigation · ISO 45001: reported plant certification status.
Specific machinery and organisational measures
Documented 2025 actions include investment in machinery, installations and personal protection at Danville; machinery modifications at the Urdiain and Montgomery converting plants; and fire-protection improvements. The company also reported obtaining ISO 45001 at Danville. These facts describe actions and scope, without assigning quantified effectiveness that the report does not isolate.
The corporate Reglas de Oro campaign included training, short supervisor-led sessions and management tours. Machinery-safety training targeted Maintenance, Engineering, Operational Sustainability and Production staff involved in managing change. The report describes monthly indicator reviews and closer tracking of actions following lost-time accidents.
OHS results: partial improvement and exclusions
The 2025 table records 69 accidents compared with 81 in 2024, zero work-related deaths in both years and 994 days lost to accidents compared with 1,493. Frequency fell from 7.90 to 6.03 lost-time accidents per million hours worked, using the original PDF’s definition. Severity fell from 0.15 to 0.09 equivalent days lost per thousand hours. However, occupational diseases increased from four to six.
The note expressly excludes non-employees under the phased introduction of reporting requirements. These figures therefore do not establish zero fatalities or equivalent outcomes for contractors. The declared system and improvement in selected indicators must be read alongside that exclusion and the increase in diseases, without a uniform claim of improvement across occupational health.
Danville: regulatory history and case status
On 24 July 2024, OSHA reported that two serious injuries, during work on a roller machine and pump cleaning, involved shortcomings in hazardous-energy control and training. It proposed USD 197,054 in penalties. The record for inspection 1725882.015 subsequently shows an informal settlement, an updated penalty of USD 118,232 and closure on 13 January 2025. The initially proposed amount is not the current penalty displayed by the record.
The chemical-training citation is listed with completed abatement and an August 2024 final order. These findings concern Viscofan USA in Danville and specific interventions; they do not by themselves describe every plant. The group’s subsequently reported certification and investments do not erase this history or establish that all future risks are resolved.
Sources: OSHA: Danville investigation, 24 July 2024 · OSHA: inspection 1725882.015 and closure · OSHA: chemical training and abatement · 2025 occupational safety and health actions.
Environmental emissions and workplace exposure
Manufacturing entails managing process-related emissions and discharges. The 2025 report describes oxidation treatment that reduced carbon disulphide emissions at Cáseda. Across the group, the table reports CS₂ emissions of 5,073 tonnes, compared with 6,157 in 2024. These are environmental quantities, not concentrations inhaled by workers or proof of compliance with personal-exposure limits.
Total Scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse-gas emissions, using market-based Scope 2, were 1,087,970 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent, compared with 979,569 in 2024. The alternative using location-based Scope 2 was 1,093,965 tonnes in 2025. The two totals must not be added: they use alternative electricity-accounting methods.
Sources: Substances and emissions treatment · 2025 total emissions and intensity.
A controversy requiring clear attribution
In October 2025, Hunterbrook published allegations about Danville operations, including emissions and environmental management. Cinco Días explained the outlet’s connection to a fund and reported its disclosure of no position in Viscofan at publication. On 15 October, Viscofan rejected the allegations, defended its regulatory compliance and stated that it had invested in environmental controls and safety.
An allegation, a corporate response and regulatory proceedings are different forms of evidence. This profile does not turn the media controversy into an administrative or judicial decision, nor use the company’s general defence to invalidate OSHA’s specific findings.
Sources: Cinco Días: Danville controversy, 14 October 2025 · Viscofan response to Hunterbrook, 15 October 2025 · OSHA: inspection 1725882.015 and closure.
Haiaos: an announced, conditional transaction
On 5 November 2026, Viscofan notified the CNMV of a preliminary agreement to acquire up to 85% of Shandong Haiaos Biotechnology through Viscofan Technology (Suzhou). The initial understanding was reached with shareholders representing 58.94%, with other sellers intended to join. Completion and signature of contracts, reaching at least 80% ownership and other conditions remained outstanding.
Closing was expected in the first quarter of 2027. At this profile’s verification date, the announcement does not establish a completed acquisition or justify adding Haiaos revenue to Viscofan’s 2025 consolidated accounts. It illustrates the commercial priority of Asia-Pacific within Beat’30, while retaining the transaction’s stated status.
Sources: CNMV: preliminary Haiaos agreement, 5 November 2026.
What the case teaches about prevention
The case connects machinery safety with management of change, incident investigation and chemical training. The editorial OHS lesson is to verify energy control before intervention, check safety after modifying equipment and maintain traceability from a finding to its correction. A specific measure is not attributed to the company merely because it would be advisable.
It also shows why table notes matter: an average workforce is not a year-end census, system coverage is not universal certification, and statistics excluding external workers do not describe everyone working at the facilities. This profile analyses public documentation; it is not a site audit.
Sources: Prevention system and accident investigation · ISO 45001: reported plant certification status · Safety indicators: definitions and exclusions · OSHA: Danville investigation, 24 July 2024.
Frequently asked questions
Is Viscofan a Spanish company?
Yes. Viscofan, S.A. has its registered office and headquarters in Tajonar, Navarra. This profile’s figures cover the worldwide consolidated group, not Spain alone. [1]
Does it manufacture food or casings?
Its industrial core is casings and films used by food manufacturers. It also develops collagen ingredients and other businesses, including pet treats; it does not manufacture every brand using its casings. [1] · [2] · [3]
Why are both 5,721 and 5,921 workers mentioned?
5,721 is the 2025 average workforce measured in full-time equivalents. 5,921 is the headcount at year-end. They measure different things and are not interchangeable. [1]
Is the entire group ISO 45001 certified?
The 2025 report declares system coverage for all personnel, but its certification table retains planned and uncertified locations. Coverage and certification are different measures. [1] · [2]
What limits apply to the accident statistics?
The 2025 table excludes non-employees. The PDF defines the 6.03 frequency as lost-time accidents per million hours; it is not a rate covering all external workers or a measure of every disease. [1]
Had Haiaos been acquired when this profile was checked?
The 5 November 2026 announcement was a preliminary agreement for up to 85%, subject to contracts, a minimum stake and other conditions. Closing was expected in the first quarter of 2027. [1]
