Vetoquinol

The story begins in 1933 in a small pharmacy in Lure, France, with a man named Joseph Frechin. He wasn't in the animal health business initially; he ran a human pharmaceutical operation. A pivotal moment came when he acquired a large stock of oxyquinoline, an antiseptic for humans. Frechin had the idea to use its properties to treat animals, creating a remedy he named 'Vétoquinol'. The product was a success, laying the foundation for a new venture focused entirely on animal health. By 1962, the veterinary side of the business was formally established as its own entity, Vetoquinol S.A. The following year, Joseph’s son, Etienne Frechin, joined the company and began to push for international expansion. This strategy saw the company establish its first subsidiaries in the Netherlands, Ireland, and Belgium during the 1980s. The family's vision continued into the next generation when Matthieu Frechin became CEO in 2010, representing the third generation to lead the company. A major turning point for the company came in 2006 when Vetoquinol went public with an Initial Public Offering (IPO) on the Euronext Paris exchange. This event was a strategic move to increase its international profile and accelerate growth, allowing it to expand into new markets like China and India. Today, Vetoquinol is a global player in animal health, with a direct presence in 24 countries and products distributed in about 100 countries.