Bei Campofrio ein- und britische Firmen gekauft

Smithfield Food (Virginia, USA) ist weltweit der größte Schweinemäster und -verarbeiter. Die Amerikaner sind weiter auf Expansion aus. In Spanien haben sie gut 15 % von Campofrio, dem dort größten Fleischverarbeiter, erworben und in Großbritanien wurden zwei Firmen aquiriert. Dazu im folgenden die beiden Pressemeldungen aus dem Hause Smithfield im Original:

Smithfield Foods Acquires 15.2 Percent Interest In Spanish Pork Processor 

(February 4, 2004)

Smithfield Foods, Inc. (NYSE: SFD) today announced the purchase of 8,008,294 shares of Campofrío Alimentación, S.A., for approximately $87.8 million. The shares, representing 15.2 percent of Campofrío’s outstanding share capital, were acquired in a privately-negotiated transaction from a single shareholder.

Campofrío is the largest meat processor in Spain and one of Europe’s largest diversified meat processors, with estimated annual sales of about €1 billion ($1.25 billion). The company has not yet reported its 2003 annual results. Primarily a processor of pork and further processed pork products, Campofrío is the market leader in Spain and has operations in Portugal, Russia, Poland, Romania and France, and exports to over 40 countries.

Smithfield acquired the Campofrío shares at a discount of approximately 14.83 percent to yesterday’s closing price on the Spanish Stock Exchange. About 26 percent of the company’s shares are traded on the Spanish Stock Exchange. Most of the remaining shares are owned by the founding Ballvè family and its affiliates.

“This transaction provides a strategic partner to develop synergies with our operations in France and Poland to exploit many attractive opportunities in Europe and Eastern Europe,” said Joseph W. Luter, III, Smithfield’s chairman and chief executive officer. “As there is limited overlap among our operations, this opens new markets to Smithfield. We are attracted to Campofrío because the company is well-managed and has strong brands. Additionally, Campofrío recently completed a major restructuring and, in our opinion, has considerable potential to increase profitability in 2004 and beyond.”

Spain is the second-largest pork producing country in the European Union and the market is growing. Spain has the highest annual per capita consumption of meat protein in Europe, with pork representing more than 50 percent. Hog production and pork processing costs in Spain are very competitive.

With annualized sales of $9 billion, Smithfield Foods is the leading processor and marketer of fresh pork and processed meats in the United States, as well as the largest producer of hogs. For more information, please visit www.smithfieldfoods.com.

This news release may contain "forward-looking" information within the meaning of the federal securities laws. The forward-looking information may include statements concerning the company's outlook for the future, as well as other statements of beliefs, future plans and strategies or anticipated events, and similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. The forward-looking information and statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, the statements. These risks and uncertainties include availability and prices of livestock, raw materials and supplies, livestock costs, livestock disease, food safety, product pricing, the competitive environment and related market conditions, ability to make and successfully integrate acquisitions, operating efficiencies, access to capital, the cost of compliance with environmental and health standards, adverse results from ongoing litigation and actions of domestic and foreign governments.

Smithfield Foods Completes U.K. Acquisitions Forming Smithfield Foods Ltd. 

(February 9, 2004)

Smithfield Foods, Inc. (NYSE: SFD) today announced that it has completed acquisitions of two complementary meat companies in the United Kingdom, the Norwich Food Company Ltd. and Ridpath Pek. The newly acquired companies have been combined to form Smithfield Foods Ltd., expected to generate 2004 revenues of US$65 million. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Smithfield Foods Ltd. will provide retail and food service customers in the U.K. with a full line of fresh meats and further processed chilled and canned meat products developed for the U.K. market.

“The establishment of Smithfield Foods Ltd. continues our strategy of participating in attractive markets through dedicated, resident companies with strong, local management and the resources to be successful," stated Robert A. Sharpe II, president, international operations. "Norwich and Ridpath Pek are nearly perfectly complementary to each other, with virtually no overlap in products or customers, which creates attractive opportunities for providing our customers with a full range of high quality meat products. Moreover, Smithfield Foods Ltd. will gain a dedicated supply relationship from Smithfield’s Polish subsidiary, Animex, and its French subsidiary, SBS, assuring Smithfield Food Ltd.’s customers of consistent quality," Sharpe concluded.

Smithfield Foods Ltd. will be led by John Alton Jones, chief executive officer, who was previously co-managing director of Norwich Foods.

“By combining the customer service and fresh meat expertise of Norwich with the product and brand development, sales and further processed meat proficiency of Ridpath, we are immediately able to provide our U.K. customers with great products backed by the superior customer service and product development they expect,” said Jones. “We look forward to leveraging the power of the historic Smithfield Foods Ltd. name and the strong Pek brand.”

Smithfield previously owned 50 percent of Ridpath Pek through a joint venture.

With annualized sales of $9 billion, Smithfield Foods is the leading processor and marketer of fresh pork and processed meats in the United States, as well as the largest producer of hogs. For more information, please visit www.smithfieldfoods.com.

This news release may contain "forward-looking" information within the meaning of the federal securities laws. The forward-looking information may include statements concerning the company's outlook for the future, as well as other statements of beliefs, future plans and strategies or anticipated events, and similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. The forward-looking information and statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, the statements. These risks and uncertainties include availability and prices of livestock, raw materials and supplies, livestock costs, livestock disease, food safety, product pricing, the competitive environment and related market conditions, ability to make and successfully integrate acquisitions, operating efficiencies, access to capital, the cost of compliance with environmental and health standards, adverse results from ongoing litigation and actions of domestic and foreign governments.

Quelle: Smithfield [ Smithfield ]