ForFarmers acquisition of BOCM PAULS approved

The European Competition Authority and the Jersey Competition Regulatory Authority have approved the acquisition, which was announced on 29th March 2012; of UK feed company BOCM PAULS by ForFarmers Group.  ForFarmers Group Works Council had already approved the deal.  The transfer of shares will take place on 11th July, at which point BOCM PAULS will form part of the ForFarmers Group

Through the acquisition of the activities of BOCM PAULS, ForFarmers will become the largest feed company inEuropewith:

•           8.8 million of tonnes of feed, of which 6.5 million tonnes is compound feed and 2.3 million tonnes is straights and co-products.

•           2500 employees

•           Turnover of € 6.6 billion

Following the acquisition, Iain Gardner, currently BOCM PAULS Chief Operating Officer, will assume responsibility for the operational management of BOCM PAULS as Chief Executive. Following the transfer of shares, Mr Gardner will also join the ForFarmers Group board. Bill Mayne and James Powell will remain with the business as Chairman and Finance Director and continue to contribute their knowledge and expertise as members of the Agricola board.

BOCM PAULS will continue to operate in the market in the same successful way as it has done in the past. With its “Total Feed Business” concept, the company is capable of supplying animal nutrition in whatever form required by its customers, with the focus on maximising farmer customer profitability.

By exploiting economies of scale, the ForFarmers Group aims to continue its ambition of maximising its contribution to farm yields and returns. The basis for this approach is a combination of maximum efficiency and the optimum use of knowledge and technical expertise.

ForFarmers aims to be one of the best and biggest customer-oriented suppliers of farm animal feed inEurope. This takeover fits in with its basic strategy of becoming better by growing.ENDS.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Andrew Kendall,KendallsCommunications

T: 01394 610022                 E: andrew.kendall@kendallscom.co.uk

Nick Major, Sales and Marketing Director, BOCM PAULS

T: 07802 776069                 E: Nick.Major@bocmpauls.co.uk

Notes to Editors

ForFarmers Group

ForFarmers is a modern, ambitious company that mainly operates in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium and once the acquisition of BOCM PAULS is completed also in the United Kingdom. Its core activity is the selling of feed and commodities. ForFarmers comprises several compound feed companies and other holdings. ForFarmers also has a majority stake in Cefetra, which operates as a Supply Chain Manager in the field of basic materials for the compound feed industry in particular. The takeover of BOCM PAULS will bring the number of employees (fte) at ForFarmers to a total of 2,500. Its consolidated turnover in 2011 was € 6.6 billion, compound feed sales totalled at 6.5 million tonnes (incl. BOCM PAULS). ForFarmers’ operations are founded on the core values of ambition, return and sustainability. Coöperatie FromFarmers owns 87.6% (op 31-12-2011) of the shares of the ForFarmers Group.

BOCM PAULS LTD

Formed in 1992 following the merger of BOCM Silcock and Pauls Agriculture,     BOCM PAULS is the United Kingdom’s leading animal feed company, manufacturing, selling and distributing over two million tonnes of animal feed per year.  Headquartered in Ipswich, BOCM PAULS employs 1,000 staff across its 18 locations.  For more information visit: www.bocmpauls.co.uk

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