September 08, 2008

S&B Group to construct a betonite processing plant in Morocco

It is reported that S&B Group is planning the extension of its betonite constructing business in Morocco. The plant's production will be transported to the newly acquired facility in the port of Neuss in Germany, which have a yearly capacity of 150,000 tonnes and is expected to be completed within 2008. It will belong to the newly formed subsidiary of the Group, S&B Industrial Minerals Morocco SARL. The total investment is estimated at EUR 3 million.

Mr E Vidalis directing adviser of S&B Group has supported that Morocco in the long run will become the new big Mediterranean bentonite base, it is in a strategic point in the American continent that inspires all the ambitions of S&B Group, as it is an ideal point of access in the Atlantic.

Mr Kriton Anavlavis GM of S&B Industrial Minerals Bentonite Division said that "We are very pleased that our efforts over the past 5 years for worldwide enhancement and expansion of our bentonite reserves and processing facilities continue to bear fruit with the decision to proceed with this new investment. The new reserves and production base in Morocco adds a significant advantage to the already existing ones in Greece, Germany, Bulgaria, Hungary, Georgia and the USA. Construction of this particular plant, combined with the recent investment in Neuss, Germany, constitutes one more link to our market to mine chain and directly enhances our competitive position in the specialized growing markets of white bentonite, while it provides us with additional growth prospects."