BayWa AG Announces the Acquisition of Two Grain Traders, Turning the Company Into a Global Agricultural Trader

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BayWa AG Announces the Acquisition of Two Grain Traders, Turning the Company Into a Global Agricultural Trader PR Newswire MUNICH, September 28, 2012 MUNICH, September 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Turnover increases to at least Euro 15 billion The international trading and services company BayWa AG acquires 100% of the internationally operating grain trader Cefetra B.V. (the Netherlands), as well as a majority stake in the North German agricultural trading group Bohnhorst Argrarhandel GmbH. Both transactions - subject to approval of the responsible antitrust authorities - will be completed by stJanuary 1 , 2013. The purchase price for 100% of the shares of Cefetra and for 60% of the shares of Bohnhorst amounts to Euro 125 million and Euro 36 million, respectively. 40% of Bohnhorst's shares will remain with the seller, Helmut Bohnhorst jr., who will also continue as the company's managing director. Following these acquisitions, BayWa's total traded grain volume increases to 28 million tonnes and its turnover increases at least to Euro 15 billion. "BayWa not only strengthens its position as an important European grain trader, but also enforces its global footprint in the agricultural commodities space", explains BayWa CEO Klaus Josef Lutz. BayWa is continuing its strategy to become more prominent in the international market for agricultural trading. "With these acquisitions we have reached a new milestone in further developing one of our core divisions internationally".

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• Publié par: baywa
• Nombre de lectures: 17
• Langue: English

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BayWa AG Announces the Acquisition of Two Grain Traders, Turning the Company Into a Global Agricultural Trader

PR Newswire MUNICH, September 28, 2012

MUNICH,September 28, 2012/PRNewswire/ -- Turnover increases to at leastEuro 15 billion The international trading and services company BayWa AG acquires 100% of the internationally operating grain trader Cefetra B.V. (the Netherlands), as well as a majority stake in the North German agricultural trading group Bohnhorst Argrarhandel GmbH. Both transactions - subject to approval of the responsible st antitrust authorities - will be completed byJanuary 1, 2013. The purchase price for 100% of the shares of Cefetra and for 60% of the shares of Bohnhorst amounts toEuro 125 millionandEuro 36 million, respectively. 40% of Bohnhorst's shares will remain with the seller, Helmut Bohnhorst jr., who will also continue as the company's managing director.

Followin theseac uisitions,Ba Wa'stotal tradedrain volume increases to 28

million tonnes and its turnover increases at least toEuro 15 billion. "BayWa not only strengthens its position as an important European grain trader, but also enforces its global footprint in the agricultural commodities space", explains BayWa CEO Klaus Josef Lutz. BayWa is continuing its strategy to become more prominent in the international market for agricultural trading. "With these acquisitions we have reached a new milestone in further developing one of our core divisions internationally". The acquisitions also address recent market developments, as BayWa perceives a consolidation within the grain trading sector. Increased competition, mainly triggered by a higher demand fromAsiaandAfricaand the search for access to supply inSouth AmericaandEastern Europe, has weighted the importance of scale in the trading space. Cefetra B.V., headquartered inRotterdam, will be acquired from ForFarmers Group B.V and the agricultural cooperatives Agrifirm Group B.V. and AgruniekRijnvallei B.V. The company trades grain on a global scale and is a leader in the European supply market for the compound feed sector in terms of soy, grain and sunflower & rapeseed meals. The company has storage and port sites throughoutEurope, as well as a sourcing network inPoland. The Bohnhorst group's core business is agricultural trading with extensive sourcing capacities, mainly inEastern Germany. Furthermore, it owns sites at deep-sea ports along the Baltic Sea coast. "Besides our own locations, we will now have direct access to the most important German waterways as well as the Baltic Sea and consequently, to the developing markets inEastern Europe. This is a significant advantage for the sourcing and marketing of grains", says Lutz. "Due to excellent management and employee performance, Bohnhorst has an excellent market position and is extremely successful", Lutz adds. The financial strength of the company is a good foundation for growing together, especially inEastern Europe. "The two acquisitions provide the BayWa Group access to today's and tomorrow's grain markets all over the world. We have secured direct access to raw materials, which is essential given the recent shift in market dynamics. Additionally, they have strengthened our logistics' network", emphasises Lutz. BayWa underlines that it will continue offering its partners and customers new market solutions through the international expansion of its sourcing and distribution channels. According to the CEO, both acquisitions will be financed with the sales proceeds following the earlier announced real estate disposals. BayWa AG: BayWa AG is an international trading and service company, with a focus on the sectors agriculture, energy and construction. In 2011 the company reported sales ofEuro 9.6 billionand an EBIT ofEuro 151.4 million. Sales for the agricultural division (including trading of grains, other agricultural products, operating supplies and agricultural technology) amounted to approximately Euro 5 billion, with an EBIT ofEuro 56 million. BayWa operates and owns 300 agricultural trading sites inGermanyand has an extended network of 600 sites through cooperations inAustriaand theCzech Republic. In 2011, the total traded volume for grains was around 5.5 million tonnes. BayWa's grain storage capacity amounted to just under 2 million tonnes. Furthermore, it operates 18 river ports and has approximately 17,000 employees worldwide.

Cefetra B.V.

Cefetra is an international trading company that solely trades in agricultural commodities. Products are mainly sold to the animal feed, food and bio-fuel industry, with 95% of the customers being active in the animal feed industry. Sales in 2011 amounted toEuro 4.6 billionwith an average EBIT over the last 5 years ofEuro 26 million. Cefetra´s total traded volume in 2011 amounted to nearly 20 million tonnes. It's business model is characterised by flexibility, mainly driven by its international sourcing capacity and distribution network. Cefetra has offices in the UK,Ireland,the Netherlands,Hungary,Polandand Canada, as well as storage sites in the UK,Ireland,the Netherlands,Belgium, Germany,France,Latvia,Poland,HungaryandRomania. Cefetra has 210 employees. While Cefetra's current shareholders are focused on growth and want to prioritise their resources for their own animal food activities they have decided to sell Cefetra to a strategic partner. With BayWa AG Cefetra B.V. has found a company which is prepared to continue investing in its activities. BohnhorstAgrarhandel GmbH The Bohnhorst GmbH is an international agricultural trading company, which concentrates on the North and East German markets. It also has facilities for coverage, storage and distribution inPoland. Two sites are located at the coast of the Baltic Sea, others are situated along the rivers Elbe and the Weser and the Mittellandkanal. The company generated revenues ofEuro 468 millionin 2011. During the last 5 years the EBIT wasEuro 13 millionon average. The company's main focus is grain trading, which generatedEuro 310 millionof the revenues in 2011. The other business segment focuses on the distribution animal feed. Bohnhorst has 213 employees. Editor: Marion Danneboom, BayWa AG, Head of PR/Corporate Communication, Phone: [phone]; Fax: [phone], E-mail: [e-mail]