ASR Group, the world’s largest cane sugar refining and marketing company has purchased 50% ownership of SFIR Raffineria di Brindisi SpA, Europe’s second largest cane sugar refinery located in Italy as well as the marketing company that sells its sugar in a simultaneous closing. The cane sugar refinery is the newest in Europe, being built in 2010, and has a capacity of producing 450,000 tons of sugar per year. The purchase will give ASR a strong presence in Italy and will complement the company’s operations in the UK and Portugal. Through Tate & Lyle Sugar, ASR Group owns and operates a million-ton cane sugar refinery in London and another in Lisbon. With this acquisition, ASR will now operate in Europe’s three key deficit markets. The Brindisi refinery in Italy also includes a 34 MW cogeneration power facility which operates on renewable agricultural biofuels. ASR Group already owns and operates four biomass cogeneration facilities in North America.
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