Sofiproteol French company, a giant with over 6,000 employees and 5.5bn euro turnover, paid around 80m euros for Expur Urziceni, controlled by Alimenta Swiss group, in one of this year’s biggest deals.
“Sofiproteol finalised the acquisition of Expur, through Saipol
subsidiary. Expur is one of the biggest players in Romania in terms
of sunflower and rapeseed oil processing. The company has 450
employees and registered 114m-euro turnover in 2009,” announced the
French company’s officials.
In the deal, the French company was assisted by the lawyers of Țuca
Zbârcea & Asociații, as well as by Cotty Vivant Marchisio &
Lauzeral of France.
Expur is the producer of Ulcom vegetable oil brand and also
operates on the biodiesel market.
Sofiproteol representatives did not specify the value of the deal.
According to ZF estimates, it could range between 60 and 80m
euros.
Expur shareholders this summer submitted a file to get 80m-euro
financing from the EBRD to expand the business and its market
share.
The domestic vegetable oil market is put at 200,000 tonnes, being
dominated by Bunge and Cargill US companies.