Arjowiggins and Global Hygiène have entered exclusive negotiations (AcT)

Press release
Boulogne-Billancourt, 6 November 2015
 

Arjowiggins and Global Hygiène have entered exclusive negotiations

for the sale of the Charavines site

Arjowiggins has announced that it has signed an exclusive agreement with Global Hygiène for the sale of the Charavines site.

Global Hygiène Group is a big player in single-use wipes and hygiene products (toilet paper, paper towels, medical drapes, handkerchiefs, towels, etc.) with two plants in France that produce finished goods from tissue paper. Acquiring the Charavines site would allow it to vertically integrate a tissue paper production facility by installing a machine with a capacity of 30,000 tonnes.

The final transaction should be completed quickly once Global Hygiène obtains a planning permission.

Luc Brami, CEO of Global Hygiène, commented: "Acquiring the Charavines site will consolidate our leadership position in the hygiene market. This project is testimony to our commitment to sustainable development as it involves comprehensive reutilisation of the various on-site amenities, drawing on local and regional expertise in paper making. We hope that the project will be up and running by early 2018."

Jonathan Mitchell, Managing Director of Arjowiggins Creative Papers, commented: "In April 2014, we began the search for a buyer for Charavines as part of the operational restructuring of our printing paper business. Close cooperation between ourselves and Global Hygiène has culminated in a solid business project that will breathe new life into this industrial site."

About Global Hygiène
With a market share of around 15%, Global Hygiène is the French market leader in hygiene for local and regional bodies. It reports annual sales of €43 million and employs over 130 people.

It has almost 35 production lines, making it a key player in the hygiene and wipes market both within and outside France (Europe, French overseas territories, North Africa).

About Sequana

Sequana (Euronext Paris: SEQ) is a major player in the paper industry, boasting leading positions in each of its two businesses:

• Antalis: European leader in the distribution of paper and packaging products, with around 5,500 employees based in 44 countries.
• Arjowiggins: World leader in creative and technical papers, with nearly 4,000 employees.

Sequana reported sales of €3.4 billion in 2014 and employed some 9,600 people worldwide.