Rotterdam—Louis Dreyfus Commodities BV, which on March 21 announced it was changing its name, rebranding as Louis Dreyfus Co. BV, effective immediately, said the process for seeking partners for its Fertilizers and Inputs business is underway. CEO Gonzalo Ramírez Martiarena said the company had received offers for the unit, including offers from companies to buy the entire fertilizer business. He said the company would prefer to retain ownership via a partnership. “As we have said before, we are open to all strategic opportunities to drive forward the growth of our Fertilizers and Inputs business, whether organically or through external options,” a Louis Dreyfus spokesperson told Green Markets. “With this in mind, a bank has indeed been appointed to review those strategic options for the platform, and we are currently reviewing those options.” The spokesperson said it was too early to discuss timelines to finalize a deal for the unit, and in the meantime, the company continues to grow the Fertilizers and Inputs Business in its existing form. Louis Dreyfus confirmed in early January it was assessing “all options” for the unit (GM Jan. 8, p. 13; Feb. 5, p. 14). The company is also looking for strategic partners for its metals, dairy, and orange juice business lines, preferably those that could help improve the units, rather than financial investors. The company is seeking to shore up its finances and reduce investment (GM Feb. 5, p. 14). Louis Dreyfus Commodities BV reported a 67 percent drop in net income to $211 million on revenues of $55.7 billion last year, down from $648 million and $64.7 billion, respectively in 2014, the company said on March 21.
Transparency Across the Fertilizer Value-Chain