Project description
and objectives:
|
Multi-project facility (MPF) with Groupe Soufflet to finance its investment programme in central and eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.
The project aims to:
- expand Soufflet's production capacity in the Bank's countries of operations;
- further develop Soufflet's sales to beer and bread producers in the region; and
- assist in improving raw material farming (barley and wheat) in the region to allow local procurement for Soufflet's processing operations.
|
Sub-projects:
|
- Soufflet MPF - Malting Soufflet St. Petersburg
- MPF - Slodownia Soufflet - Polska SARL
- Soufflet Malting Czech
- Sladovny Soufflet Czech Republic
|
Transition impact:
|
The project is expected to develop local processing industries in the Bank's countries of operations. The transition impact of individual sub-projects is likely to include:
- restructuring, modernising and strengthening private entrepreneurship in the food industry;
- strengthening competition and customer orientation within the project sector through the introduction of new products, technologies, distribution and marketing methods and high-quality standards;
- stimulating competitive behaviour and market orientation in other sectors of the economy, most importantly in primary agriculture through interactions with suppliers and clients; and
- demonstration effects for both domestic and foreign investors associated with a variety of new ways of financing projects in the agribusiness sector.
|
The client:
|
Groupe Soufflet is the largest European producer of flour from grain milling and the third-largest producer of malt from barley. The Groupe is one of the largest purchasers of French grain harvests and, after processing, exports its products throughout the EU and to Asia, Africa and Latin America.
|
EBRD finance:
|
US$ 50 million in aggregate, available for individual investments of US$ 10 million to US$ 20 million to be analysed as and when proposed by Soufflet. Investments may take the form of unsecured debt or preferred equity financing, as well as common equity investments in project companies.
|
Total project cost:
|
US$ 150 million.
|
Environmental impact:
|
Environmental due diligence was conducted on the sponsor's corporate environmental management. Information reviewed consisted of answers to the corporate environmental questionnaire for industry partners, which aimed to assess the Groupe's policy and organisation with respect to the environment as well as environmental due diligence procedures.
Environmental issues that may arise on the type of projects considered could relate to such things as: regulatory compliance and permitting requirements; liability in conjunction with sub-surface contamination; solid waste management or waste-water treatment processes; and contingency planning and emergency response. The Groupe will be required, for each project, to follow the Bank's Environmental Procedures for Multi-Project Facilities, with support from independent environmental consultants, and to demonstrate to the Bank such undertakings in the form of environmental reports. This would ensure, among other things, that projects are being structured in accordance with national and EU or World Bank standards. Subsequently, each project company will be required to provide regular reports on environmental, health and safety matters.
|
Technical
cooperation:
|
None.
For consultant opportunities for projects financed by technical cooperation
funds, visit procurement
of consultants.
|
Company contact:
|
|
EBRD contact:
|
Lyudmyla Lishchenyuk, Operation Leader: lishchel@ebrd.com
|
Business opportunities:
|
For business opportunities or procurement, contact the client company.
|
General enquiries:
|
EBRD project enquiries not related to procurement:
Tel: +44 20 7338 7168; Fax: +44 20 7338 7380
Email: projectenquiries@ebrd.com
|
