Clearwater International advises CTH on the sale of a minority stake to VION

Clearwater International advises CTH with Sonac on the sale of a minority stake to VION

Clearwater International has advised the minority shareholders of CTH, a specialist in animal products, with Sonac, also a specialist in animal products, on the sale of a 33% stake to VION Ingredients (VION), a worldwide leader in the development and production of specialty ingredients from animal origins.

CTH and Sonac specialise in sourcing, processing, and selling products from hog, sheep, beef, and horse, as well as meat by-products from hog, beef, sheep, and poultry. CTH has over 50 years’ experience in casings, and supplies customers in the meat processing, food, pharmaceutical, and pet food industries. The company operates in 11 countries with the majority of its 1,100 employees based in Changsha, China.

VION, headquartered in Son en Breugel in the Netherlands, specialises in the development and production of specialty ingredients from animal origins, for applications in the pharmaceutical, food, feed, pet food, fertiliser, and bio-energy markets. The company has facilities on five continents and processes animal by-products through six brands, including Rendac, Sonac, Ecoson, Rousselot, CTH, and Best Hides. In January 2014, VION was sold by VION Food Group to Darling International.

This transaction originated from the joint venture that was realised between CTH and Sonac in 2007, in which the Teijsen family sold the majority of their shares to VION and acquired a minority interest in Sonac.