Boehringer Ingelheim and SoundTalks go their separate ways
Animal health company Boehringer Ingelheim and precision livestock farming (PLF) company SoundTalks will stop their distribution cooperation by late October 2025. The SoundTalks products as well as services will continue to be available as normal.
SoundTalks became a well-known player in the market by introducing cough detection devices; currently the company describes its focus as “monitoring respiratory health problems” in nursery and finishing facilities. The devices are using smart microphones, algorithms as well as an app. That way, farm veterinarians can receive early warnings and insights for respiratory problems in their pig herd – and decide on calculated strategies for the farm’s animal health management.
The 2 companies have been having a collaboration since February 2019, which comes down that Boehringer Ingelheim has been actively promoting as well as selling the devices through its channels. To discontinue the distribution agreement was a mutual decision.
Strategy of vaccine development
Gerard Ensink is head of global strategic marketing swine at Boehringer Ingelheim. He told Pig Progress that the decision was taken because it connects to Boehringer’s strategic focus on vaccine development and that the adoption grade of the digital product has been lower than expected for the company. Ensink emphasised however that PLF does bring a lot of value for the pig industry.
The companies will continue to work together until October 2025 to make sure customers will receive the service and care they need.
Opportunities to grow further
Both companies stated in their reactions that the decision to discontinue was made in harmony. In a way, for SoundTalks, headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, the decision could even be seen as a relief, said Dries Berckmans, the company’s founder told Pig Progress.
When the companies started working together in 2019, the idea was to build an integrated health management platform connected to technological solutions, not just lung health monitoring, Berckmans explained. He said, “The strategy would involve all kinds of monitoring products. SoundTalks wouldn’t be the party supplying cameras for instance, for that purpose a different partner could step in. For us, the prospect of other companies joining that strategy was very appealing.”
A well-known human health problem, however, brought an unfortunate twist to the plans. Berckmans said, “Covid-19 caused an enormous disruption. In a few countries we started distributing in September 2019, but the big flow of countries was planned to happen mid-2020. That didn’t happen.”
As a result, SoundTalks ended up being the only technological solution in a portfolio of mostly vaccines. Early 2024, the decision was already made that Boehringer Ingelheim would no longer be “exclusive” distribution partner.
Berckmans said, “For years, SoundTalks have had stronger growth ambitions than we could realise within the cooperation deal. So starting from January 2024 it was possible to talk to other large animal health companies – which I did. I do not exclude that we could work together with others in the future.”
He continued to say, “Our path forward is clear now. This has been a tough year, as we need to organise a lot in one go. All countries will have to be transferred to a new distribution channel by October and what might be the right way to go for one country may not work for another. But I would like to see it as an opportunity.”
Over the last years, thousands of cough monitors have been produced on a yearly basis. The SoundTalks portfolio is available in Europe, North and South America as well as Asia. Distribution will be soon organised through direct contacts with large integrations, through local agents or in some markets with local support of Boehringer Ingelheim. China is a particularly interesting market for SoundTalks and the company recently opened a sales office in Suzhou, not too far away from Shanghai.
The future of precision livestock farming
The big question is: what does this development say about the development PLF as the technology has always been full of promises? Berckmans commented, “I do not think that the decision means anything for PLF and its opportunities. Simply everyone in the world of PLF is still searching to find the right business model. If Boehringer Ingelheim would have said: this product doesn’t work well, then it would be the end. But that is not the case – customers are happy and we are simply taking over the contracts. The basis is good and we can continue to build and to expand.”
