March 7, 2007

Finland's Suomen Rehu to be sold
 

Finland's biggest feed manufacturer Suomen Rehu will have a new majority owner by the second half of 2007.

Parent group Lännen Tehtaat is selling 51 percent of its stake to Finnish agricultural dealer Hankkija-Maatalous Oy, which is 81 percent-owned by SOK Corporation (S-Group) and 19 percent by Kemira GrowHow. 

Aside from being a feed manufacturer, Suomen Rehu is also an exporter of Progut piglet feed additives to promote intestinal health.

In the Baltic counties, Suomen Rehu operates with its subsidiary Baltic Feed. Baltic Feed has its own factory in Tukums that produces feed concentrates, minerals, premixes and special products that are mainly marketed through retailers.

Lannen Tehtaat--also an industry player in the Finnish food industry--said on Monday (March 5) that the Finnish competition authority has made an interim decision concerning the sale of the majority shareholding in Suomen Rehu Ltd and Avena Nordic Grain Oy. According to the decision, the competition authority will initiate further investigations into the matter.

Lannen Tehtaat constitutes its market in Finland, but the company has also extended its operation to the Baltic Rim. Lannen Tehtaat has some 1,000 employees and is listed on the Nordic Exchange in Helsinki.