the essential
A study carried out by Adiv for the community of communes of Saint-Affricain, Roquefort and Sept vallons draws the outlines of a possible recovery with conditions.
Adiv (decision and investment analysis) is an agro-industrial technical institute based in Clermont-Ferrand. He was commissioned by the community of communes of Saint-Affricain, Roquefrot and Sept vallons to carry out a study on the possible future of the slaughterhouse which belongs to the community. Alain Peyron, the general director of Adiv, recently presented the conclusions to elected officials during the community council. In total, twenty-five players in the sector were contacted, including former directors and employees of the slaughterhouse, but also breeders, state services and the judicial liquidator.
The Saint-Affrique slaughterhouse has experienced a succession of operating difficulties in recent years which have led to administrative and legal proceedings. Relaunched in October 2023 by SAS Abattoir Sud-Aveyron Saint-Affrique, the tool once again had its health approval withdrawn last March.
Liquidated after three bankruptcy filings since 2014
In June, the Rodez commercial court recorded the judicial liquidation of the SAS which had been in receivership proceedings since the end of May. The tool is now closed and the thirty-three employees are made redundant. Since 2014, the slaughterhouse has experienced three bankruptcy filings. Only the period 2014-2018, with Jacques Poujol at its head, was in surplus with a slaughter volume around 6,000 to 6,500 tonnes of carcass equivalent (Tec) per year composed of a majority of large cattle. “This shows the difficulties of operating a multi-species slaughterhouse which, to break even, must slaughter enough cattle with service prices that cover all costs”underlines the Adiv report.
Today, it is Christine Dauverchain, judicial administrator in Montpellier, who is in charge of the liquidation. According to the study and the administrator's statements, “the asset price displayed for the takeover of the SAS is €2.2 million. Proposals for takeovers were made for €150 thousand, proposals refused”.
Auctions for equipment?
Maître Dauverchain plans, in agreement with the Commissioner of Justice, to sell the equipment at auction with a price of €800,000. “It plans to terminate the long lease earlydeclares Alain Peyron. The duration of the operation is four or five months. You have to be careful because, afterwards, it's the sale of scrap metal. The actions to be taken are to share this study with all the stakeholders interviewed.”
As a preconclusion of the study, “the tool remains an interesting opportunity because it is generally in good general condition. Even if investments are necessary to repair defective equipment or conveying (around €1 million to €1.5 million), they are without common measure with the construction of a new multi-species slaughterhouse of 3,500 Tec per year estimated today at €8 million. This tool has an operational cutting workshop with the possibility of setting up a processing workshop (big asset). . A a cutting workshop of this type would today cost around €2.8 million to new.”.
Concerning the position of Maître Dauverchain, “the community of communes has launched legal action demandingdeclares Sébastien David, president of the community of communes. Because the Slimani family (Editor’s note: SAS Abattoir Sud-Aveyron) tells the administrator that she owns the industrial equipment. Under the long lease, the community must claim full ownership of the assets attached to the equipment. This is a judicial decision. I think we can revive this tool which is essential for the sheep dairy sector, the heart of our Roquefort AOP.”
