Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright has advised global commodity business Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) on the sale of both its Africa-based fertilizers and inputs operations and its global metals business.

LDC completed the sale of the entire share capital of Fertilizers and Inputs Holding B.V, the holding company of its Africa-based fertilizers and inputs operations to Africa-focused private investment firm, Helios Investment Partners on 30 November 2017. Acquired by LDC in 2001, the business distributes fertilizers, crop protection products, seeds as well as industrial chemicals through West Africa, helping improve agricultural yields and facilitating economic development across the region.

LDC also entered into an agreement in December 2017 to sell its global metals business (LDC Metals) to NCCL Natural Resources Investment Fund, a fund established by China Molybdenum Co., Ltd. Considered to be among the top copper, zinc and lead concentrates merchandisers globally, and a leader in the refined copper, zinc, aluminium and nickel markets, LDC Metals has more than 250 employees located in 15 countries around the world. The agreement is subject to customary closing conditions, and is anticipated to complete in the first half of this year.

Norton Rose Fulbright has extensive experience in providing advice to international commodity and agricultural producers, traders and financial institutions on all aspects of their operations in the commodities sector.

Louis Dreyfus Company is a longstanding client of Norton Rose Fulbright and in both instances the firm’s team was led by partner Jon Perry and included senior associate Clementine Hogarth and associate Vanessa Brierley in London, working alongside the Louis Dreyfus Company in-house legal team. Partner Nick Grandage advised on trade finance law issues.

Jon Perry commented: “We are delighted to have assisted Louis Dreyfus Company execute on its strategy by entering these two transactions. The fertilizer business sale was particularly challenging as it involved facilitating a financing arrangement for the target business which combined both acquisition finance and trade finance techniques. Norton Rose Fulbright was able to offer a combination of both its sector experience and its cross-disciplinary expertise in emerging markets.”