US-based Smithfield Group will take over Agroalim Distribution and Frigorifer Tulcea in full by 2008, Ziarul Financiar reports.

Lebanese national Mounir Halawani, one of the leading players in the domestic food industry, developed the two businesses. This move will enable Smithfield, one of the most powerful groups in the international food industry, with turnover in excess of 11 billion dollars, to have an integrated structure in Romania, comprising processing, production, storage and distribution. "Our interest in Agroalim Distribution and Frigorifer Tulcea will gradually increase to 100 percent over the next three yeas," Michael H. Cole, vice-president of Smithfield Foods Inc. told Ziarul Financiar.

Halawani last year sold 50 percent in both Agroalim Distribution, one of the top three food distributors on the domestic market, and Frigorifer Tulcea, the largest cold storage facility in the country, with a capacity of 16,000 tonnes. The transaction amounted to 15 million dollars (12 million euros), market sources say. Taking full control of the two companies could amount to several tens of millions of euros, considering that Agroalim Distribution's business alone almost doubled in euros in 2005, while Frigorifer expects similar results this year. Agroalim Distribution last year posted more than 52 million euros in turnover, up 80 percent from 2004. Gross profit rose from 0.8 million euros in 2004 to 1.1 million euros in 2005.

The company expects the turnover to go up by 20 percent this year. Frigorifer's business could double this year to about 8 million euros, as its shareholders invested 7 million euros in building the first frozen vegetable factory in the country. The factory started manufacturing operations this month. Its products will be branded as Casa Taraneasca. Halawani also owns, either in part or in full, other companies in Romania. One of the biggest companies the Romanian-Lebanese businessman controls is Mixalim, a significant player on the fowl market, with annual turnover in excess of 11 million euros. "Smithfield Romania does not have a presence in these companies," Cole added. Smithfield bought Agrotorvis (currently Smithfield Procesare) and Comtim Group for 33 million dollars (27 million euros) in 2004.

The Americans say that Noul Comtim (New Comtim - a name it got after the acquisition) will attain annual sales of 420 million dollars (340 million euros) in 2010.63 Halawani bought Transfrigotren Buftea this year, the only transport company that carries refrigerated freight on railways. Commenting on this deal, Mircea Cotosman, corporate affairs director of Smithfield Romania, explained that Smithfield was not involved in the deal in any way. The U.S. company has repeatedly called Halawani a "strategic partner" for the business of Smithfield in Romania.

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