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MSD Animal Health / Schering-Plough Animal Health / Tasman Vaccine Laboratories (TVL).
History
HistoryFrom an article in the August 30, 2000 'Leader':-
1945; founded by scientist Lewis Fitch, OBE, D.Sc.Hon., B.Sc., FACVSc., to do pregnancy testing for horses.
1951; licensed to produce blackleg vaccine for sheep.
1954; became Tasman Vaccine Laboratories; first exports to Australia.
1961; a shareholding bought by Dalgetys.
1963; Australian branch.
1965; gamma-radiation sterilisation plant opened, to sterilise flexipacks (also used to sterilise Smith and Nephew Elastplast?); annual sales $1.4 million. The article had the year wrong; the concrete was being poured early in 1966; New Zealand's biggest pour(?).
1968; established in the UK; annual sales $3.5 million.
1976; sold to Imperial Chemical Industries, becoming ICI Tasman Limited. Annual sales reached $32 million (presumably around 1984).
1984; merged with Wellcome to form Coopers Animal Health.
1988; virus plant opened; annual sales $40 million.
1992; November; the plant received an award from their world body, for a year without a lost-time accident; they were four months into a second year at the time.
1993; global vaccine unit opened by Prime Minister.
2000; as reported; the company considered itself the only global supplier of clostridial vaccines for agricultural animals and supplied USA, Australia, Europe and South Africa.
In 2014, the plant was operating as MSD Animal Health; part of Merck, and using Intervet, Schering-Plough and Cooper brand names.
In August 1974, Councillor Pearson wrote to the council, asking for an independent safety check, after an accident in an English factory; after receiving a reply from Doctor Rainey, who had visited the plant, the request was denied.
1945; founded by scientist Lewis Fitch, OBE, D.Sc.Hon., B.Sc., FACVSc., to do pregnancy testing for horses.
1951; licensed to produce blackleg vaccine for sheep.
1954; became Tasman Vaccine Laboratories; first exports to Australia.
1961; a shareholding bought by Dalgetys.
1963; Australian branch.
1965; gamma-radiation sterilisation plant opened, to sterilise flexipacks (also used to sterilise Smith and Nephew Elastplast?); annual sales $1.4 million. The article had the year wrong; the concrete was being poured early in 1966; New Zealand's biggest pour(?).
1968; established in the UK; annual sales $3.5 million.
1976; sold to Imperial Chemical Industries, becoming ICI Tasman Limited. Annual sales reached $32 million (presumably around 1984).
1984; merged with Wellcome to form Coopers Animal Health.
1988; virus plant opened; annual sales $40 million.
1992; November; the plant received an award from their world body, for a year without a lost-time accident; they were four months into a second year at the time.
1993; global vaccine unit opened by Prime Minister.
2000; as reported; the company considered itself the only global supplier of clostridial vaccines for agricultural animals and supplied USA, Australia, Europe and South Africa.
In 2014, the plant was operating as MSD Animal Health; part of Merck, and using Intervet, Schering-Plough and Cooper brand names.
In August 1974, Councillor Pearson wrote to the council, asking for an independent safety check, after an accident in an English factory; after receiving a reply from Doctor Rainey, who had visited the plant, the request was denied.
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Details
Organisation typeVaccine manufacturerDate established1945Location33 Whakatiki StreetGeotag[1] MSD Animal Health site.
Date established1945Location33 Whakatiki StreetGeotag[1] MSD Animal Health site.Also known as
Alternative nameMSD Animal HealthFor the yearsFrom before 2013
For the yearsFrom before 2013Also known as
Alternative nameSchering-Plough Animal HealthFor the years1997-?
For the years1997-?Also known as
Alternative nameMallinkrodt Veterinary LtdFor the years1994-1997
For the years1994-1997Also known as
Alternative namePitman-Moore NZ LtdFor the years1989-1994
For the years1989-1994Also known as
Alternative nameCoopers Animal Health NZ LtdFor the years1984-1989
For the years1984-1989Also known as
Alternative nameICI Tasman Vaccines Ltd, ICI Tasman LtdFor the years1976-1984
For the years1976-1984Also known as
Alternative nameTrentham Veterinary LaboratoriesFor the years1945-1954
For the years1945-1954Also known as
Alternative nameTasman Vaccines Ltd (TVL)For the years1954-1976
For the years1954-1976loading google map....
MSD Animal Health / Schering-Plough Animal Health / Tasman Vaccine Laboratories (TVL).. Upper Hutt City Library, accessed 19/03/2026, https://uhcl.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/21865