Innovation - A key to sustainability
| Tetra sets the standards. As market leader in the area of aquatics and water
gardening, we lead the industry with regard to product development and
research. For over 50 years, we have been rising to the challenge of making the fascination of aquarium and pond ownership even better by way of innovative products: it is our aim to improve the well-being and the health of ornamental fish. Every year, we invest around 5.5 million US$ in the largest research and development department in the industry, to make our products as effective as possible for both animals and their owners. It is absolutely necessary for Tetra products to be environmentally compatible, since they are used in sensitive ecosystems such as aquariums and garden ponds. From foods, such as the classic TetraMin, to our extensive water care range, Tetra products help create and maintain balanced, healthy underwater environments. Chemical ingredients are always used in a beneficial and environmentally compatible manner, whenever they are required to ensure the effectiveness of a product. Attention is paid to environmental compatibility in the development of products and the selection of raw materials. Our foods consist of virtually 100 per cent renewable, non-genetically modified raw materials and comply with the stringent law concerning foodstuffs with regard to contents of undesirable and prohibited substances. Furthermore, we do not use shrimps from environmentally harmful aquaculture. One example of our sustainable products is Tetra EasyBalance: EasyBalance ensures for up to six months that the water is biologically healthy, enabling fish and plants to thrive. By reliably stabilising the pH-value and the carbonate hardness value, unwanted chemical changes to the water are prevented and the number of water changes required is reduced to a minimum. Valuable drinking water is therefore saved, protecting the environment. |
“Innovation is the key to sustainability”, stresses Dr. Gerd Großheider, Head
of Research and Development at Tetra. All products, which are developed
by highly qualified Tetra scientists in our inhouse research laboratory, go
through multidimensional tests with regard to their fish and plant compatibility.
Products that do not meet the strict requirements are immediately removed
from the development process or must prove they meet them in a renewed
development cycle. Regular exchange between our inhouse ISO reference laboratory (DIN ISO 17025) and external laboratories and institutes ensures comparative research findings. Tetra carries out applied fundamental research with external scientific partners in a variety of scientific disciplines concerning aquatic habitats. Numerous projects have been sponsored, fostering science to our mutual benefit. A total of around 20 scientific research and analysis establishments have been used in the past ten years; Tetra Research and Development in Melle alone currently cooperates with seven universities and institutes in Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands. There are additional cooperations in the USA. Furthermore, Tetra is to be a partner in an EU project on exploring fish immunology. In order to pass on our knowledge and to obtain new, international research findings in the field of fish diseases and fishkeeping first-hand, we are an active member of the Ornamental Fish Diseases working group of the EAFP, the European Association of Fish Pathologists, and the “World Aquaculture Association”. | |
| Tetra pursues a holistic approach to research, which also includes the
fish’s habitat: water. In the case of aquarium fish, above all, the influence
of waste production on the water must be explored to make products even
more effective. The question then arises: How do I influence water quality
by the food I give and how it is degraded by the filter? The latest research
findings have been incorporated into the new formula of TetraMin: thanks to its
improved composition, the new TetraMin ensures clearer, cleaner water. And
clear, clean water is the basic prerequisite for healthy fish. QUALITY ASSURANCE Tetra feels it is its obligation to provide top quality products. In order to meet our own high standards and to meet our customers’ requirements, we rely on consistent quality management in accordance with ISO 9001:2000 and the HACCP standard. The “Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points” strategy includes a threat analysis for every stage of production, reducing risks to a minimum and enabling the critical points in the manufacture of foodstuff to be mastered. Regular audits and certifications prove the high quality of our products. Tetra also leads the way in quality assurance: the concept developed in the USA in the 1950s was incorporated into German food law in 1998. Tetra was one of the first companies to successfully gain certification. The efficient internal quality assurance at Tetra consists of three areas: chemical, biological and technological quality assurance, which work together hand in hand to ensure the high quality of the Tetra brand. When carrying out analyses, care is taken to ensure that the environment is damaged as little as possible. In the analysis of protein content, for instance, a chemical-free method (NIR) is used. Ecologically harmful, poisonous chlorinated hydrocarbons are completely banned from our quality analysis. Other chemicals that are irreplaceable for our scientific work are delivered in reusable containers; sample containers of foods are repeatedly reused. |
Since our quality assurance works on the principle of “quality originates
in the production process and not in subsequent testing”, our production is
carried out according to the IPC (Integrated Process Control) method. By
means of checklists, proof-samples and tests, important quality parameters
such as bulk density, consistence, pH-value, etc. are tested in the course of
production. | |
| Medicinal fish products One of Tetra’s competencies is being a pharmaceutical manufacturer of medicinal products for ornamental fish. These products are manufactured under stringent conditions in accordance with German and European legislation on medicinal products. The specific quality management system “GMP” (Good Manufacturing Practice) ensures that top-quality harmless but effective products are created. | ||
