Interprofessional Development Fund for the Oilseeds and Proteins (FIDOP) French Federation of Oilseed and Protein Crop Producers (FOP) Fondation Avril[1]
Avril is an international agro-industrial group based in France, specialising in food, animal feed, energy and sustainable chemistry. It was founded in 1983, on the initiative of a collective group of leaders in the French farming sector, and was structured as a subsidiary to ensure outlets for French oilseeds (rapeseed, sunflower, soy) and protein crops (Peas, faba beans, lupin).[3]
Formerly known as Sofiproteol, the group adopted the name of Avril in 2015, during a change in governance and legal structure, and became a partnership limited by shares.
The Avril group operates in 19 countries and employs 7,350 employees. In 2021, its sales revenues amounted to 6.9billion euros. It holds a portfolio of leading brands in several markets, particularly in Europe and Africa.
History
1962–1983: From Plan proteins to CNTA, the genesis of Sofiprotéol
In 1962, the Dillon Round world trade negotiations led to a massive influx of US soybeans, exempt from European customs.[4] Soy, rich in protein, is needed as livestock feed. In June 1973, following an exceptional drought, the US government decreed an embargo on the export of seeds and oilcake. This caused prices to soar, reflecting an interdependence of French and European farmers.[5]
In 1974, a Protein Plan is launched in France under the leadership of a young farmer and unionist, Jean-Claude Sabin, backed by the public authorities.[6] The aim of the plan was to increase the production of oilseed rape, sunflower, peas, flax and field beans through creating a chain of French vegetable oil and protein. Two interprofessional organizations emerged: the National Interbranch Union of Protein-rich plants (UNIP) in 1976 and the National Interbranch Organisation of Oilseed and Oil fruits (ONIDOL) in 1978.[7] These organizations merged in 2015, giving birth to Terres Univia.[8]
In the 1970s, the National Syndicate of Agricultural Techniques (CNTA), a key player of the Protein Plan, became the industrial tool of the French oilseed sector. Its bankruptcy in 1983 undermined the sector most tied to production. To refloat, the interprofessional organizations decided to create a financial fund: Sofiprotéol.[9]
1983: Birth of Sofiprotéol
The new company has been considered as a financial player in the French sector of vegetable oils and proteins. Its shareholders have included many agricultural stakeholders: UNIP, ONIDOL, and the French Federation of Oilseed Producers (FOP), bringing together nearly 100,000 producers.[10]
Sofiprotéol had five employees in 1983.[11] It was chaired by Jean-Claude Sabin, with general management entrusted to Philippe Tillous-Borde, an agricultural engineer specialized in industrial investments. Together, they ran the company for nearly 20 years.[12]
From the beginning, the objectives of Sofiprotéol were to financially secure production for the various players in the sector and to ensure an industrial outlet for oilseeds and protein crops.[13] It first played the role of a financial institution as development bank in the sector.[14][13][15] Then, in the following years, the company took over assets in the field of crushing seeds, seeds, and packaging of edible oils.[16] This was the beginning of extending the agricultural sector with the construction of an industrial chain, from farmers, to seed storage agencies and seed producers.[14]
1987–93: development of a French biofuel sector
In search of French rapeseed markets, ONIDOL with the French Institute of Petroleum (IFP) launched the first studies establishing a biofuel based on methyl rapeseed esters in 1987.[17] After three years of experimentation, Diester was launched in 1990.[18]
From 1991 to 1995, the EU allocated FF300million to support innovative projects in non-food applications of farming products, including biofuels.[19] In 1992, France authorized the incorporation of biofuels in diesel up to 5% and to 30% for company vehicles.[19] Sofiprotéol developed industrial activity through involvement in the management of biodiesel production facilities. This was the beginning of the biodiesel industry, marked by the construction of the first plant in Compiègne in 1988.[20]
1993–2006: Strengthening co-products strategy
In 1993, Sofiprotéol opened a large rapeseed and sunflower seed crushing factory in Grand-Couronne, near Rouen. With a capacity of 360,000 tons, the site supplied a new factory dedicated to the production of biodiesel in 1995.[21] During this period, Sofiprotéol augmented and extended its sector strategy by developing its work in oleochemistry, biotechnologies, animal feed, and nutrition.
In 1996, Sofiprotéol created Novance in partnership with Rhône-Poulenc Chimie.[22] Novance produced products derived from vegetable oils for non-food applications, such as glycerin. In 1998, the Group took stake in GlonSanders, a leader in the French animal feed sector and a major outlet for oilseed.[23][24] Glon was fully acquired in 2012. With the 2003 acquisition of Lesieur[25] and Puget in 2004,[26] the group became the primary manufacturer of edible oils in France.[27] Between 2007 and 2008, six new units tripled the production of biodiesel, thanks to the Biofuel Plan launched by French public authorities.[28]
2007–15: Restructuring and internationalization
The 2000s were marked by a Sofiprotéol surge. The group changed the development of its businesses. In 2007, Sofiprotéol created two major business divisions: Oilseeds, responsible for enhancing vegetable oils, and Animal Products, developing the group's activities in the field of nutrition and livestock production with related expertise: biosafety, nutritional specialties, etc...[29]
The group has strengthened its international position. With the 2008 acquisition of the Belgian company Oleon, the group has been the European leader in oleochemistry.[30] With the 2010 acquisition of Expur in Romania, the Group gained a firm foothold in the oilseed production basin of Eastern Europe and the Black Sea.[31] In 2011, Lesieur Cristal was acquired, Morocco's leader in not only oils and seeds, but also soaps. Through the Green Morocco Plan, Sofiprotéol supported a strategy to develop Moroccan industries based on rapeseed, sunflower, and olive oil.[32]
In 2012, Jean-Philippe Puig succeeded Philippe Tillous-Borde as head of group.[12] In 2015, the group adopted new governance and a new identity.[1] Industrial activities were assigned to the limited partnership with share capital (SCA), Avril. Sofiprotéol remains as an investment company under the control of Avril Group.[33]
2015–21: New identity and new activities
The Group, which was formerly known as Sofiprotéol, became a limited partnership with share capital "société en commandite par actions" and adopted the name "Avril" in 2015. This operation allows the Group's industrial activities to be more clearly distinguished from those of its investment company (which kept the name Sofiprotéol).
The Avril Group announced the acquisition of the Kerfoot Group in 2015,[34] a UK family-owned company specialized in the distribution and packaging of Oils, primarily for the food, cosmetics and food service industries. The Lesieur subsidiary of the Avril Group became the majority shareholder of SPHB (Société de Production des Huiles de Bourbon).[35] In 2016, the Group invested in a new factory, inaugurated by Manuel Valls, for the bottling and packaging of Lesieur vegetable oils in Bassens.[36]
In 2016, the Avril Group launched a Sofiprotéol Private Debt fund with the management company Tikehau IM, to facilitate the funding of agribusiness and food processing industries.[37] In 2016, the Avril Group set up an integrated rapeseed sector in Tunisia, in partnership with the local government.[38]
In May 2018, Avril announced the acquisition of a majority participation in Costa d'Oro, an Italian olive oil producer (the Castel Group is taking a minority interest).[39] In November 2018, Avril launched Oleo100, a fuel created from French rapeseed (and the first 100% vegetable fuel produced in France).[40] In January 2019, Avril acquired Lecico, a German company specialized in lecithin and Phospholipids.[41] Saipol, a subsidiary of Avril, launched OleoZE in February 2020, a purchasing service for sustainable French oilseeds.[42] The platform enables farmers and collecting organizations to market their rapeseed and sunflower seeds by rewarding farming practices that reduce CO2 emissions.[43]
From a financial point of view, this period was also characterized by the Group's return to being profitable in 2018 (the price of oil having penalized its biofuels business in previous years) and 2019, when net profit doubled from 16 million to 35million euros.[44]
In 2019, Avril joined forces with Terrena to create an industrial unit with an annual capacity of 30,000 metric tons, specializing in the crushing of organic oilseeds, intended to produce 100% French livestock feed and organic oils.[45]
In 2021, Avril decided to refocus on plants. The group sold the biosafety company Théséo and announced that it would also sell its egg and pork activities. In Dieppe, together with the Dutch group DSM, Avril is building a unit dedicated to the production of rapeseed proteins, which is being run by the company Prolein.[46] The protein will be extracted by an innovative process without chemical solvents. The company Olatein will produce the vegetable protein for producers of vegetable juices, steak and protein bars.
The Avril Végétal sector brings together vegetable processing activities from rapeseed and sunflower grains, as well as the sale of the resulting products. The sunflower and rapeseed seeds are collected then crushed to extract the vegetable oil and oil seed meal, destined for animal feed. Edible oil produced from this activity include Lesieur, Puget, Soléou, and Guénard in France; Lesieur Cristal in Morocco; and Bunica in Romania. It employed 3,279 people in 2020 for an EBITDA of €93,2 million.[52] In 2020, 3.3 million tons of seeds were transformed by Avril.
Main subsidiaries: Saipol, Expur, Kerfoot, Lecico, Novastell, Lesieur, Lesieur, Cristal, Costa d'Oro.[53]
Human nutrition
Avril Group is the largest producer of table oils in France (Lesieur, Puget, Fruit d'Or, Soléou, Guénard), Morocco (Lesieur Cristal) and Romania (Bunica).[33] By contributing to 1.2million tons of oil in 2014, Avril participated in the daily supply of 81 million individuals.[54] The group also manufactures oil and vegetable based sauces and condiments.[55]
Renewable energies
Avril produces under the brand Diester, a fifth of 11 million tons of biodiesel consumed annually by the European Union.[56] It is the leading European producer of biodiesel.[54] Diester is incorporated at a rate of 8% in the fuel used by all French diesel vehicles.[54] Diester is a first-generation biofuel, made from rapeseed and sunflower vegetable oil.
Avril invests in research to develop second-generation biofuels. The target being to market biofuels from the inedible parts of plants and agricultural waste (lignin, cellulose) to produce food and energy. In 2013, The group launched a production of biodiesel based on animal fats and waste oils. The group participates in BioTfueL,[57] a program that develops biodiesel and biokerosene from forestry waste (straw, wood, etc.). Avril also initiated Institute PIVERT, in Picardy. Institute PIVERT is the first European center developing plant chemistry based on oilseed biomass, collaborating with hundreds of researchers.[58]
Oleochemicals and renewable chemistry
Through the 1996 creation of Novance and the 2008 acquisition of Oleon, Avril has dominated the European market of oleochemistry.[59] Oleochemistry is a branch of "plant chemistry" developing chemical molecules, commonly referred to as bio-based molecules.[60] Avril manufactures and markets a range of bio-based molecules from vegetable oils (rapeseed, sunflower, palm, soy, coconut). Among other molecules, Avril produces glycerol, a biodiesel byproduct. Glycerol is a non-toxic liquid, with a sweet taste, that is used in many pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food products.[61]
Through Lesieur Cristal, Avril produces soaps in Morocco, marketed under the brands Taous and El Kef.[62]
Avril Livestock Sector
The Avril Farming division brings together the Group's animal activities. It includes the processing and sales of farm products (particularly eggs and pork). These activities are dedicated to either human consumption or animal nutrition. It employed 2 118 people in 2020 for an EBITDA of €21 million.[52] The main subsidiaries of the Avril Livestock Sector are Sanders, Imevia, Sunfeed, Kiriel.[63]
Animal nutrition and production
Through Sanders, Adonial, and others companies, Avril produces and sells rapeseed and sunflower oilseed meal.[64] Extracted from oilseeds, these solid residues are rich in protein. Crushed and mixed with other ingredients (protein, grains, vitamins, etc.), they are intended to feed farm animals such as pigs, cattle, poultry, and rabbits. 2.7 million tons of animal feed are sold each year to Avril's partner farmers (26,000). One hundred million chickens are fed annually by Avril.[65] European rapeseed and sunflower press cakes are a substitute for American soybean press cakes.[5]
Biosafety and nutritional specialties
Biosecurity covers all preventive hygiene methods to minimize the infection and spread of diseases in livestock. In 2014, the group created Mixscience and Theseo, both having developed a reputation in France and abroad, around products and services for the hygiene of animal shelters, breeding material and treatment of water, air and surfaces.[66]
Processing and distribution of food products
Since 2005, Avril has produced and marketed eggs known as Matines.[67] Through Ovoteam and 3 Vallées, Avril supplies eggs for the agribusiness industry.
Avril development
This division brings together four activities: proteochemistry (renewable chemistry derived from plant oil cakes), treatment of byproducts from the food industry, transformation of organic waste into fertilizers and purchases of raw materials for third parties.
This division includes in particular:
- Terrial (organic fertilization), in which Suez holds 25% of the capital since 2019.[68]
- Evertree, founded in 2016, which designs and develops alternatives to the traditional chemical intermediates generating volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Derived from rapeseed cake, the products and technologies developed by Evertree permit the design of wood composite panels that are more economical, and safe for health and more environmentally friendly. In 2019, the joint venture with BPI France and BPT commercialized a solution that reduces the presence of petrosourced resin and the pollution linked to the volatile organic compounds generated by these resins.[69]
Main subsidiaries: Adonial, Terrial, Feed Alliance, Evertree
Investor Profession: Sofiprotéol
Sofiprotéol assists with loans and equity investments for over a hundred companies, representing approximately 80,000 employees[70] in the agro-industry and in related sectors such as dairy processing.[71] Sofiprotéol is committed to its partners on a permanent basis. The company strengthens the equity of companies, supporting them in their strategic decisions and modernization.[14]
Following restructuring ratified in 2015, the shareholders of Sofiprotéol – Crédit Agricole, Natixis, Unigrains – became more involved. With a capital base from 70 to 330 million euros,[72] Sofiprotéol intends to expand its scope of action to new sectors of agro-industry.[71] Sofiprotéol has invested €276M since 2015, of which 11% has been invested in innovation. Xavier Dorchies was nominated Chief Operating Officer of Sofiprotéol, succeeding Michel Boucly in January 2020.[73]
Sofiprotéol is committed in the following activities:[74]
With the restructuring, a new player entered into the group's capital in 2014: Fondation Avril.[1]
Group organization in Avril
Avril Group is a limited partnership with share capital (SCA) comprising two categories of partners:
Limited partners, who represent the shareholders, exercise control through the supervisory board.
The General Partner, who acts as manager of the Group through Avril Gestion. The Board of Avril Gestion appoints the manager of the SCA. The manager is supported by an executive committee.[75]
By adopting the status of a limited partnership with share capital (SCA), historical shareholders of Sofiprotéol, the oilseed producers intend to remain at the heart of the project led by Avril.[76]
Supervisory Board
The supervisory board is composed of eight members, six of which represent FIDOP, FOP, and Fondation Avril. Within this council also sit two elected staff members of the group. The supervisory board is currently chaired by Jacques Siret, President of Terre Univia.[75]
Management Board
The management board of Avril Gestion decides on the major strategic and financial decisions of Avril.
In 2020, it consisted of nine members, four from the FOP, three qualified professionals and two former executives or former corporate officers of the Group:[77]
Arnaud Rousseau, President of Avril Gestion, President of the FOP
Jean-Pierre Denis, Chairman of Crédit Mutuel Arkéa and Crédit mutuel de Bretagne
Anne Lauvergeon, CEO of ALP Services and President of Sigfox
Sylvie Rucar, consultant
Sébastien Windsor, vice-president of the FOP
Antoine Henrion, FOP Office Member
Benjamin Lammert, FOP Office Member
Yves Delaine, Former Group Executive of Avril
Michel Boucly, Former Group Executive of Avril
Executive committee
The executive committee is headed by the Avril Group's Director and the Sofiprotéol's Executive Director, elected by the board of directors of Avril Gestion, Jean-Philippe Puig.
The executive committee consists of 9 other members:[78]
Xavier Dorchies, chief operating officer Sofiprotéol, Chief Strategy and Development Officer Avril
Aymeric Mongeaud, chief financial officer, also oversees legal affairs and information systems
Stéphane Yrles, Secretary General
Moussa Naciri, General manager of the Avril Specialties Business Line, overseeing the Group's oleochemicals and animal specialties activities
Paul Joël Derian, Vice President for Innovation, Research & Sustainable Development
Marie de La Roche Kerandraon, Vice President for Human Resources and Engagement
Christophe Le Bars, general manager of the Livestock Business Line
Antoine Prevost, Group chief operating officer. In charge of industrial performance and the supply chain, as well as operational excellence
Fondation Avril
Avril Group is committed to pay 35% of its dividends[79] to a foundation bearing its name and recognized as a public service by decree on 11 December 2014.[75]
The foundation supports causes of general interest and is attached to three sustainable development goals:[80]
to contribute to preserving a high-quality environment in different territories and ensuring collective development of rural communities;
to aid developing regions of the world, notably in Africa, in working to protect biodiversity and anticipating the impact of climate change on agricultural productions;
to promote a healthy and sustainable diet through high quality products that are environmentally friendly and accessible to all.
Centre national de la cooperation agricole (CNCA), ed. (1975), Cooperation agricole (in French), vol.21, Paris: Société auxiliaire pour la distribution des éditions de productivité, p.220
Azouvi, Alain, ed. (1984), Les industries agricoles et alimentaires en 1983 (in French), Paris: INSEE, p.112
de Perthuis, Christian, ed. (1993), Agriculture 2000: le livre blanc, les stratégies agricoles face à la nouvelle PAC. Un enjeu majeur pour la France: l'adaptation de la filière grains (in French), Paris: Economica, p.192, ISBN9782717824759
Jamet, Jean-Claude, ed. (1993), Le Diester, les enjeux du diesel vert: un avenir pour l'agriculture (in French), Paris: Edition de l'environnement, p.365, ISBN9782908620092
Ballerini, Daniel, ed. (2006), Les biocarburants: état des locationx, perspectives et enjeux du développement (in French), Paris: Éditions Technip, p.352, ISBN9782710808695
Observatoire économique, social et territorial de la Vendée (OESTV), ed. (2006), Réflexions sur la valorisation non-alimentaire de la biomasse (in French), La-Roche-sur-Yon: OESTV, p.54
Schneider, Anne; Huygue, Christian, eds. (2015), Les légumineuses pour des systèmes agricoles et alimentaires durables (in French), Versailles: Éditions Quæ, p.512, ISBN978-2-7592-2334-3
Le Bourdonnec, Yannick; Tillous-Borde, Philippe, eds. (2015), Un homme d'entreprise visionnaire: 40 ans au service d'une ambition agricole pour la France (in French), Paris: Éditions Eyrolles, p.180, ISBN978-2-212-56174-6
Entrepreneur Vert (2010). "Chimie verte". Entrepreneur Vert (in French). Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2020-06-24. (consulted 21 September 2015)
Ministère de l'Ecologie, du Développement durable et de l'Energie (MEDDE) (2011). "Les EMAG: esters méthyliques d'acide gras". La filière biocarburant gazole (in French). Archived from the original on 2015-12-22. Retrieved 2015-11-25. (consulted 21 September 2015)
Duboelle, Philippe (20 May 2014). "Sofiproteol souffle ses 30 bougies". Horizons Nord-Pas de Calais (in French). Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2015-11-25. (consulted 17 September 2015)
EurObserv (July 2014). Biofuel barometer(PDF) (Report). (consulted 20 September 2015)
Ouest-France (14 September 2015). "Jean-Baptiste Bachelerie". Ouest-France (in French). (consulted 22 October 2015)
University works
Boemare, Catherine, ed. (2001), Quel système de régulation des activités polluantes? Le cas des sources mobiles de pollution atmosphérique (in French), Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, p.366
Mathieu, Alain, ed. (1998), L'interface entre secteur agricole et secteur petrolier: Quelques questions au sujet des biocarburants (in French), Université de Montpellier I, p.38
Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from the mesocarp of the fruit of the oil palms. The oil is used in food manufacturing, in beauty products, and as biofuel. Palm oil accounted for about 36% of global oils produced from oil crops in 2014. Palm oils are easier to stabilize and maintain quality of flavor and consistency in ultra-processed foods, so are frequently favored by food manufacturers. On average globally, humans consumed 7.7 kg (17 lb) of palm oil per person in 2015. Demand has also increased for other uses, such as cosmetics and biofuels, creating more demand on the supply encouraging the growth of palm oil plantations in tropical countries.
Biofuel is a fuel that is produced over a short period from biomass, rather than by the very slow natural processes involved in the formation of fossil fuels, such as oil. Biofuel can be produced from plants or agricultural, domestic, or industrial biowaste. Biofuels are mostly used for transportation but can also be used for heating and electricity. Biofuels are regarded as a renewable energy source. However, the use of biofuel has been controversial because of the several disadvantages associated with the use of it. These include for example : the "food vs fuel" debate, biofuel production methods being sustainable or not, leading to deforestation and loss of biodiversity or not.
Biodiesel is a form of diesel fuel derived from plants or animals and consisting of long-chain fatty acid esters. It is typically made from fats.
Vegetable oils, or vegetable fats, are oils extracted from seeds or from other parts of fruits. Like animal fats, vegetable fats are mixtures of triglycerides. Soybean oil, grape seed oil, and cocoa butter are examples of seed oils, or fats from seeds. Olive oil, palm oil, and rice bran oil are examples of fats from other parts of fruits. In common usage, vegetable oil may refer exclusively to vegetable fats which are liquid at room temperature. Vegetable oils are usually edible.
Tallow is a rendered form of beef or mutton suet, primarily made up of triglycerides.
Rapeseed, also known as oilseed rape, is a bright-yellow flowering member of the family Brassicaceae, cultivated mainly for its oil-rich seed, which naturally contains appreciable amounts of erucic acid. The term "canola" denotes a group of rapeseed cultivars that were bred to have very low levels of erucic acid and which are especially prized for use as human and animal food. Rapeseed is the third-largest source of vegetable oil and the second-largest source of protein meal in the world.
Vegetable oil can be used as an alternative fuel in diesel engines and in heating oil burners. When vegetable oil is used directly as a fuel, in either modified or unmodified equipment, it is referred to as straight vegetable oil (SVO) or pure plant oil (PPO). Conventional diesel engines can be modified to help ensure that the viscosity of the vegetable oil is low enough to allow proper atomization of the fuel. This prevents incomplete combustion, which would damage the engine by causing a build-up of carbon. Straight vegetable oil can also be blended with conventional diesel or processed into biodiesel, HVO or bioliquids for use under a wider range of conditions.
The ONA Group was established in 1934 and dissolved in 2010 and succeeded by Societe Nationale d'Investissement. ONA was an industrial, financial and services conglomerate, focused on positions of leadership and value creation in business activities contributing to the growth and sustainable development of Morocco, the Maghreb Region and the African Continent. ONA Group was structured around several activities: Mining, Agribusiness, Distribution, Financial Services, Telecommunication, Renewable Energies, and Growth Drivers, etc.
This article describes the use and availability of biodiesel in various countries around the world.
Neste MY Renewable Diesel is a vegetable oil refining fuel production process commercialized by the Finnish oil and refining company Neste. Whether as an admixture or in its pure form, Neste MY Renewable Diesel is able to supplement or partially replace diesel fuel without problems. Neste MY Renewable Diesel guarantees that every gallon sold meets ASTM D975 and EN 15940 specifications in compliance with OEM standards.
Biofuel development in India centres mainly around the cultivation and processing of Jatropha plant seeds, which are very rich in oil, ranging from 27 to 40%, and averaging 34.4%. The drivers for this are historic, functional, economic, environmental, moral and political.
Biofuel is fuel that is produced from organic matter (biomass), including plant materials and animal waste. It is considered a renewable source of energy that can assist in reducing carbon emissions. The two main types of biofuel currently being produced in Australia are biodiesel and bioethanol, used as replacements for diesel and petrol (gasoline) respectively. As of 2017 Australia is a relatively small producer of biofuels, accounting for 0.2% of world bioethanol production and 0.1% of world biodiesel production.
Vegetable oils are increasingly used as a substitute for fossil fuels. Vegetable oils are the basis of biodiesel, which can be used like conventional diesel. Some vegetable oil blends are used in unmodified vehicles, but straight vegetable oil often needs specially prepared vehicles which have a method of heating the oil to reduce its viscosity and surface tension, sometimes specially made injector nozzles, increased injection pressure and stronger glow-plugs, in addition to fuel pre-heating is used. Another alternative is vegetable oil refining.
An oilseed press is a machine that lies at the center of vegetable oil extraction. This is due to the fact that this technology is designed to release oil from oilseeds. Multiple oilseed press layouts have been developed over time to complete this process, with each having its own distinct set of advantages and disadvantages. Moreover, the products that are created by oilseed presses, namely oil and oilseed meal, possess great nutritive benefits for humans and livestock respectively. The oilseed press, being at the center of the oil-extraction process, is joined with various other pieces of equipment and procedures that form a pre- and post-extraction system.
Jean-Philippe Puig is a French businessman and general director and chief executive officer of Avril Group since 2012.
The La Mèderefinery is a biorefinery that previously operated as a traditional fossil fuel refinery owned by TotalEnergies in Châteauneuf-les Martigues near Marseille, France, and on the Etang de Berre. The plant includes about 250 hectares.
Rapeseed oil is one of the oldest known vegetable oils. There are both edible and industrial forms produced from rapeseed, the seed of several cultivars of the plant family Brassicaceae. Historically, it was restricted as a food oil due to its content of erucic acid, which in laboratory studies was shown to be damaging to the cardiac muscle of laboratory animals in high quantities and which imparts a bitter taste, and glucosinolates, which made many parts of the plant less nutritious in animal feed. Rapeseed oil from standard cultivars can contain up to 54% erucic acid.
Philippe Tillous-Borde was a French entrepreneur and engineer. He was a co-founder of the group Sofiprotéol with Jean-Claude Sabin and later president of the Avril Group. From 2007 to 2010, he was a member of the Commission for the Liberation of French Growth.
Desmet is a multinational corporation founded in 1946 that provides custom-engineered plants and equipment which transform oilseeds, grains and tropical oils into protein feed/food, edible oils/fats, oleochemicals and biofuel.
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