Azelis, a leading distributor of specialty chemicals and food ingredients, acquired 100% of Orkila, the leading specialty chemicals and food ingredients distributor in Africa and the Middle East.
WHO: Founded in 2005, Orkila is headquartered in Beirut, Lebanon, and has offices in 13 countries and serves “several thousand” customers across Africa and the Middle East. The company is active in multiple market segments across the MEA region, including pharmaceuticals, food, agrochemicals, animal nutrition, personal care, paints & construction, oilfield, plastic additives, home care, and water treatment. Orkila also offers accredited laboratory testing coupled with the ability to develop and introduce innovative products, create and enhance formulations, and assist the clients’ pursuit of growth and improved performance.
Azelis is a leading distributor of speciality chemicals and food ingredients present in over 40 countries across the globe with around 2,000 employees. Knowledgeable teams of industry, market, and technical experts are each dedicated to a specific market within Life Sciences and Industrial Chemicals. They offer a lateral value chain of complementary products to about 40,000 customers, creating a turnover of €1.94 billion (2018). In the US the company operates under a number of renowned co-brands in the personal care market segment.
WHY: The specialty chemicals distribution market in Africa and the Middle East is one of the fastest-growing in the world. Azelis has been expanding its footprint in the region and Orkila provides a strong local presence, regional expertise, and excellent reputation.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS: Dr. Hans Joachim Müller, Azelis Chief Executive Officer & President, commented: “We are very excited that Orkila will become a part of Azelis. They are a well-established company, known in Africa and the Middle East for their high quality expertise and service. We have been impressed by Orkila’s committed management, the similarity of our business models and excellent cultural fit. We know that many of our principals are currently looking into strengthening their activities in Africa.”
“The population of Africa is projected to reach 1.7 billion by 2030 and more than 80% of this growth will occur in cities,” continued Dr. Müller. “African industries are expected to double production in the period 2015-2025 and the continent’s annual investment in infrastructure has doubled since the beginning of the century. In short, we see an enormous potential in Africa, we have been investing in the recent years, but this acquisition will give us a significant tailwind which we are extremely excited about.”
Antoine Sacy, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Orkila, added: “After almost 15 years of growing on a stand-alone basis, it is time for us to move into global waters. Joining a well-established global player such as Azelis will enable us not only to continue to deliver high-quality products and services that our customers are accustomed to, but also to access new growth opportunities.”
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