The industrial and financial leader in the French vegetable oils and proteins sector is in the running to take over the METabolic Explorer group (Metex) factory specializing in the manufacture of amino acids by fermentation for animal feed, cosmetics and pharmacy. This offer brings together, alongside Avril, the Sociétés de Projets Industrielles (SPI) investment fund, managed by Bpifrance on behalf of the State, as part of France 2030.
Metex, which is in receivership, has been put in difficulty by the increase in the price of raw materials, including sugar, and especially by the dumping practiced by Chinese lysine producers on the European market.
Alongside Avril’s offer, negotiations took place with a number of sugar producers, to secure long-term contracts. This is confirmed by Stanislas Bouchard, deputy general manager of Cristal Union: “We were asked to add depth to the contract, that is to say a multi-year contract. We are not used to doing this, but we are happy to continue this partnership with Metex. » In fact, the Amiens site is a large consumer of sugar, since it absorbs a little more than 4% of the sugar produced in France.
The offer submitted by the Avril group must now be examined by the Paris commercial court.
