Carmeuse Overseas is pleased to announce that we have acquired, on the 31st of March 2021, the SOCHA lime plant in Tunisia, together with the financial support of UGFS North Africa. The plant will be named Carmeuse Tunisia going forward.
The plant is in El Hamma, close to the port of Gabès. Its main assets are a modern Maerz kiln and a SIC hydrator.
Carmeuse Overseas will invest to bring the plant at its European standards. This revamping phase will last 6 months, and our ambition is to restart the kiln in the third quarter of 2021.
The SOCHA lime plant will strengthen the Carmeuse Overseas export capacity, and furthermore, also serve the Tunisian, Algerian and Libyan markets.
Carmeuse Overseas would like to thank, together with UGFS, the following Tunisian partners that were vital for this project: the Tunisian Investment Authority, the Governorate of Gabès, the banks and other creditors of SOCHA, future subcontractor partners and the intermediate at the stock market, BMCE Capital. We would also like to thank the previous shareholders and leaders of the company for their efforts.
