History

Since its creation in 1983, the financial establishment for French oilseed and protein crop producers has become a major group in the agri-food industry through investments and acquisitions.

Milestones in Sofiprotéol’s history :

1983

• Creation of Sofiprotéol

1984

• Creation of the Soprol and Saipol holding companies

1989

• Creation of Sogip (plant proteins)
• Acquisition of shareholdings in Agroplus

1990

• Creation of the Diester brand

1992

• Creation of Diester Industrie

1993

• Inauguration of Diester’s 1^st unit (Compiègne)
• Inauguration of the Saipol crushing unit (Rouen)

1994

• Creation of the Diester Cities Club

1995

• Launch of the Diester unit (Rouen)

1996

• Creation of Novance  (renewable chemistry)
• Renault guarantees 30% Diester usage in engines (RVI)

1997

• Création de Biogemma (biotechnologies)
• Garantie moteur de Peugeot (PSA) pour le Diester à 30 %

1998

• Creation of Génoplante (biotechnologies)
• Acquisition of minority shareholdings in the Glon-Sanders Group

1999

• Creation of Creagro

2001

• Use of Diester to combat the Erika oil spill

2003

• The Diester Cities Club becomes “Diester Partners”
• Saipol acquires 100% of Lesieur

2004

• Repurchase of 100% of Novance
• Lesieur acquires the Puget brand
• Lesieur launches “Fleur de Colza”

2005

• Creation of Diester Industrie International (DII)
• Creation of the LMT Oilseeds company and construction of the Mériot unit
• Lesieur launches “Epi d’or cereals and fruits”, “Frit’O clean” (with Novance)...

2006

• Lesieur launches “Cœur de tournesol”
• Launch of Diester units (Sète, Compiègne)
• Novance obtains the European Ecolabel for its line of biolubricants

2007

• Caisse des Dépôts and Crédit Agricole acquire shares in Soprol
• Lesieur acquires 30 % of Cristal Tunisia
• Lesieur launches Isio 4 Olive and Isio Mémo
• Creation of Agro Invest
• Repurchase of the Glon SandersGlon-Sanders Group by Sofial

2008

• Acquisition of Générale Condimentaire
• Alliance with Hendrix Genetics in the areas of animal genetics and life sciences
• Crédit Agricole acquires shares in Sofial
• Creation of Fedil, the dairy fund, with French Dairy Council (CNIEL)

2009

• Acquisition of Oleon by Diester Industrie is finalized
• Creation of OleoSud to advance agricultural development in southern Europe
• Alliance with Sunnco in the area of photovoltaic energy
• Inauguration of the Oléon production unit in Malaysia
• Multi-industry agreement on biodiesel

2010

• Acquisition of Expur
• Creating Saipol Mediterranean
• Acquisition of Sopral by Glon Sanders