News

A consortium of investors is supporting Malteurop in its international development

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:46:52 GMT

Reims, December 7th, 2009 - A consortium of investors made up of Crédit Agricole du Nord Est, IDIA, Unigrains, Société Générale Capital Partenaires and Crédit Agricole’s Brie-Picardie and Champagne-Bourgogne regional divisions, are supporting Malteurop in a growth capital operation worth 55 million euros.

The shareholding cooperatives of Malteurop, through their holding company Cofimalt, are also providing 60 million euros in equity and quasi-equity for this operation, which aims to refinance Malteurop’s latest international acquisitions.

Following the 2008 acquisition of ADM malting, the subsidiary of American group Archer Daniels Midlands specialising in the conversion of barley into malt, and a Russian malt factory belonging to the brewer Ochakovo, Malteurop has become the leading maltster on the world’s three biggest beer markets (Europe, Asia, and North America) with an industrial presence on four continents (Europe, North America, Oceania, and Asia) and special access to all barley-growing regions.

Founded in 1984, the Malteurop group is controlled by five French cooperatives from the Champagne and Lorraine regions, led by Champagne Céréales, federated within the agro-industrial group SICLAE, Cofimalt’s majority shareholder. With an annual production capacity of 2.3 million tonnes of malt, it operates 23 malt factories and has 900 employees. At 30th June 2009, the group had generated a consolidated turnover of 743 million euros.

The group’s Managing Director, Alain Le Floch, is delighted with the renewed confidence of the group’s financial partners and with their adhesion to a strategy which has enabled Malteurop to become a global player, and a key partner for the major international brewers.

This operation demonstrates that the French agricultural industry’s historic financial partners are whole-heartedly committed to helping global leaders like Malteurop face the strategic challenges that await them.

Siclaé and Malteurop Press contact:
Fabrice Bourgeois-Armurier
Group Communication Director
+33 (0)326 78 62 30 - +33 (0)6 80 24 85 62
fbourgeois@champagne-cereales.com

Malteurop New Zealand awarded Class One Supplier by Lion Nathan

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:39:39 GMT

This award is based on five categories of customer services:

availability
pro-activeness
documentation
order processing
defect material response

Malteurop New Zealand achieved an overall figure of 99/100

Malteurop New Zealand's winning streak started in 1996 and has continued unbroken since then.

About Lion Nathan

Lion Nathan is an Australasian premium alcoholic-beverages company with brewing, ready-to-drink, and wine interests in Australia and New Zealand. One of the largest brewers in the region with an annual capacity of 10.5 million hl, Lion Nathan holds the position of No. 1 brewer in New Zealand and No. 2 brewer in Australia with a market share of 60% and 44% respectively. Lion Nathan has recently been purchased by Kirin Japan.

1 Million Euros to Decrease Pollution at the Vitry-le-François Site

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 19:13:48 GMT

Reims, December 19, 2008 - Translation of excerpts from an article by S. Gruss in L’Union, December 12, 2008

The malting plant, located in the Vitry/Marolles industrial park, has just renovated its wastewater treatment plant. A physical-chemical process has been put in place, along with a centrifuge.

[…] Malteurop has invested 1 million euros to improve its wastewater treatment plant, built in 1973 along with the malting plant’s first production unit. “We want to improve the quality of the runoff,” said Patricia Dumortier, citing new environmental and safety regulations.
The malting plant produces 240,000 tons of malt yearly. The treatment plant processes 640,000 cu. m. of wastewater, generating 17,300 cu. m. of sludge per year.

On its arrival at the site, the barley is steeped in tap water. This is the first stage in the malt production process […] “That’s the water that goes to the treatment plant,” points out Bruno Andriko, in charge of Quality, Health, and Environment at the plant. “The only contamination is from the organic material that’s released.”

To reduce COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) concentrations leaving the plant, a physical-chemical processing system was put in place in October – an investment of 850,000 euros. It represents an additional stage in runoff treatment. The sludge dryer and press have also been replaced with a centrifuge at a cost of 80,000 euros.

The dehydrated sludge is used for agricultural spreading and composting. “The sludge is free of heavy metals,” Bruno Andriko assured us. The sludge is analyzed in the company’s internal laboratory. “Every day, we take continuous measurements of pH, temperature, COD, and BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand),” Andriko said. “Every week, readings are taken on nitrogen, nitrates, nitrites, and phosphorus. The results are sent to the DRIRE (Direction Régionale de l'Industrie, de la Recherche et de l'Environnement – Regional Board for Industry, Research and Environment) in the form of a monthly recap. […] We’re now subject to a compulsory yearly audit,” the plant’s director pointed out.

Rail freight: Malteurop substantially reduces CO2 emissions

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:12:43 GMT

Reims, November 7, 2008 – Veolia Cargo, the rail freight subsidiary of Veolia Transport, began a new service in August for Malteurop, the world’s leading malt producer. Malteurop, which currently produces 2,220,000 tons of malt annually, has positioned itself as integrator of the barely-malt-beer value chain. This takes the form of commitment to guaranteeing the reliability and permanence of the logistical chain and optimizing its costs by collaborating with its suppliers and brewer customers.

This new contract is for bulk transport of malt from Malteurop’s central production plant in Vitry-le-François in France’s Marne to Antwerp in Belgium. Veolia Cargo will handle shipping of the group’s exports leaving France. Veolia Cargo France will handle operation of the trains within the French rail network and then in Belgium; the company’s Luxembourg subsidiary will then take over, using the resources of the operator Rail4Chem, which it recently acquired.

Malteurop chose Veolia Cargo for its capacity and reliability in delivering cross-border service and out of a desire to reduce the use of road transport for environmental reasons. “This is our first contract with Rail4chem, an operator that has just become part of our group. Our entry onto the Belgian market is a decisive stage in our development strategy for Europe,” said Antoine Hurel, CEO of Veolia Cargo.

Press contact: Fabrice Bourgeois-Armurier
+33 (0)6 80 24 85 62
fbourgeois@malteurop.com

Malteurop acquires Russian Maltster Belgorsolod

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 16:18:28 GMT

Reims, September 8, 2008 – The French group Malteurop, a subsidiary of the holding company SICLAE, of which the Champagne Céréales group is majority stockholder, has purchased the Russian company Belgorsolod, a subsidiary of the Ochakovo group. Belgorsolod and Malteurop are both specialists in processing barley into malt. The new entity will take the name Malteurop Russia.

This acquisition, which comes after the group’s purchase of the American group ADM Malting in August 2008, further strengthens Malteurop’s position as the world’s leading malt producer.

Alain Le Floch, Malteurop’s Managing Director, said “This acquisition of a modern unit in Russia gives Malteurop a presence on the largest beer market in Europe. It confirms our strategy of development in a region that is undergoing strong growth, and strengthens Malteurop’s position as the benchmark supplier to the major brewing groups.”

Malteurop now has a strong presence on the world’s three leading beer markets (Europe, Asia, and North America) and industrial facilities on four continents (Europe, North America, Oceania, and Asia). The group’s strategy is a determined one: “Malteurop intends to regularly strengthen its industrial base and its access to malting-barley growing areas in order to better accompany its brewer customers on all the major malt markets,” said Alain Le Floch.

In carrying out this acquisition, financed via the holding company SICLAE, Malteurop was accompanied by the bank Crédit Agricole du Nord-Est.

Press contact: Fabrice Bourgeois-Armurier
+33 (0)6 80 24 85 62
fbourgeois@champagne-cereales.com
fbourgeois@malteurop.com

About Malteurop and Belgorsolod

Malteurop is the leading malt producer worldwide, with a production capacity of 2.2 million tons. The group has an industrial presence in 12 countries (France, Germany, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, Spain, Portugal, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and China).
More information on our Web site.

Belgorsolod is a Russian company located in Belgorod, near the Ukrainian border. Belgorsolod operates a malting plant built in 2004, with a production capacity of 100,000 tons of malt, supplying Russia’s major brewers.

Europe’s Malteurop acquires ADM Malting, a subsidiary of US group ADM

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 07:31:57 GMT

Reims, August 1st, 2008 – The French group Malteurop, a subsidiary of the holding company SICLAE, of which the Champagne Céréales group is majority shareholder, has acquired ADM Malting, a subsidiary of the US group Archer Daniels Midland Company (New York Stock Exchange: ADM).

ADM Malting and Malteurop are both specialists in the processing of barley into malt.

Alain Le Floch, Malteurop’s Managing Director, said “This acquisition represents a major consolidation of Malteurop’s position on the malt market – one which will make Malteurop the leading supplier to the major brewing groups and enable us to accompany our clients in all regions of the world.”

This operation assures Malteurop of the leading position in the malt industry worldwide, with a strong presence on the three leading beer markets worldwide (Europe, Asia, North America), an industrial presence on four continents (Europe, North America, Oceania, Asia), and privileged access to all barley-growing zones.

Laurent Jubert, General Manager of the cooperative group Champagne Céréales – Malteurop’s majority shareholder – praised “Malteurop’s highly innovative growth model, which ensures the group’s grower/shareholders of strong added value from their investment in growing brewing barley.”

Both groups prefer to keep the amount of the transaction confidential.

Press contact: Fabrice Bourgeois-Armurier
+33 (0)6 80 24 85 62
fbourgeois@champagne-cereales.com

About Malteurop and ADM Malting

Malteurop is the third-ranking malt producer worldwide, with a production of 1.221 million tons of malt and sales of 407 million Euros (636 M US$). The group has industrial presence in seven countries (France, Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Spain, Portugal, and China). - http://www.malteurop.com/

ADM Malting is the North American leader of the malt industry with a production of 742,000 tons of malt and industrial presence in four countries (USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand).

ADM Malting and Malteurop are benchmark suppliers and key partners of major world brewers and distillers, specialty brewers, and the food industry.