Erium’s formation comes as Adenia Partners closes its
acquisition deal for 12 former Air Liquide subsidiaries.
Adenia Partners “Adenia” has completed the acquisition of Air
Liquide's operations in 12 African countries, giving birth to
Erium, the first pan-African leader in industrial and medical
gases. Effective immediately, Erium will replace the Air Liquide
brand in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire,
Gabon, Ghana, Madagascar, Mali, the Democratic Republic of Congo,
Senegal, and Togo.
The acquisition, which was first announced in March, formally
closed on 22 July. It marks the latest in a series of
controlling-stake deals and acquisitions by Adenia, a leading
private equity firm which has focused on growth opportunities in
Africa for over 20 years.
“The birth of Erium is remarkable in more ways than one. It is
the culmination of an acquisition project by an African entity from
an international actor; a large-scale project covering a vast
geographical area and involving activities essential to the
development of the continent,” said Christophe Scalbert, Partner at
Adenia. “Above all, though, it is the beginning of an exciting
future due to the growth prospects it offers; growth that we are
committed to fully supporting for the benefit of employees,
customers, and the local economic fabric."
Expressing a New Ambition
The launch of the new Erium brand signifies the beginning of a
new era for its assets. Erium leadership, supported by Adenia, aims
to deliver value for the full spectrum of stakeholders, including
employees, customers, partners, and local communities.
The [R] sound evokes "air," highlighting the essential natural
resource integral to many gas solutions. Meanwhile, the [IUM]
lettering suggests the scientific foundation of gases and
materials, as well as premium quality and optimal solutions.
Erium's international name is both serious and robust, yet simple
and accessible, embodying historical expertise and new agility.
Better Serving Customers
Now a 100% African entity, Erium aims to position itself as an
agile leader, closely attuned to the needs of its customers and
their regions.
To achieve these goals, Erium will:
- Accelerate its industrial investments up to 30 million euros
over the next five years.
- Enhance local production autonomy by building air separation
and CO2 liquefaction plants.
- Prioritize skill development for its 400 employees, including
both sales and technical staff.
- Adopt a short, simple, and quick decision-making process.
- Establish local governance that is close to the field and
transformative.
Erium is also pleased to announce the appointment of Georges
Decrop as Executive Chairman of the Board. Working alongside the
future CEO, Decrop will strategically support the Managing
Directors of each country, analyzing processes and proposing
structural transformations to accelerate value creation for
customers.
"Our new name, Erium, represents the first essential step in our
transformation. While our business, teams, ethical standards,
quality, and safety remain steadfast, a new era is upon us” said
Georges Decrop, Executive Chairman of the Board of Erium. “I am
honored to guide our 12 countries towards higher service levels,
increased agility, and autonomy, directly addressing the needs of
our customers and our African continent."
Uncompromising on Ethics, Safety, and Quality
Erium continues a legacy that began more than 90 years ago in
Africa. The newly formed company is dedicated to upholding and
strengthening the ethical, safety, and quality commitments
established by Air Liquide. For example, Erium maintains some of
the highest quality standards, including ISO9001 and FSSC22000, and
benefits from a technical cooperation agreement with Air
Liquide.
Brand Transition Timeline
- March 13, 2024: Announcement of Air Liquide's acquisition by
Adenia in 12 African countries
- July 22, 2024: Closing of the transaction
- July 23, 2024: Reveal of the new name Erium
- Mid-October 2024: Unveiling and deployment of the new logo and
communication campaign
For more information, please visit erium.com and follow us on
LinkedIn.
About Erium
Erium is the leading pan-African group in industrial and medical
gases in West and Central Africa and Madagascar. Formerly part of
Air Liquide, Erium has been present in 12 African countries* for
over 90 years. Erium offers its 12,000 clients around fifty gas
solutions in the mining, oil, agro-food, infrastructure, and health
sectors. Its 400 employees are spread across 21 sites and operate
40 plants. Erium is financially and strategically supported by
Adenia Partners, a recognised investor in Africa for over 20 years,
which is investing up to 30 million euros in the next five years to
accelerate the development of its activities. Erium has also signed
a technical cooperation agreement with Air Liquide.
*Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon,
Ghana, Madagascar, Mali, Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, and
Togo.
About Georges Decrop
An expert in business transformation, Georges has actively
supported Adenia's teams in acquiring Air Liquide's activities in
12 African countries. His transformation approach focuses on
developing industrial and human capabilities to serve the customer,
valuing the existing teams. A specialist in the gas sector, he held
strategic positions at Air Products for 30 years, including
International Marketing and Applied Research Director. By joining
Erium as Executive Chairman of the Board, Georges aims to advocate
for the challenges of the African continent, a continent that
particularly inspires him as he was born and lived there for twenty
years.
About Adenia Partners (Adenia)
Adenia Partners is a private markets investment firm which has
raised $950 million across five funds and co-investments, and is
committed to responsible investing and a sustainable Africa.
Founded in 2002, Adenia has a proven track record with over 30
platform investments executed and 19 realized exits. Based
on-the-ground across Africa, Adenia has one of the most highly
qualified African private markets investment teams in terms of
educational pedigree, longstanding experience as entrepreneurs and
investors, and local in-depth knowledge. By creating stronger
companies with quality jobs, fostering economic improvement, and
elevating companies to meet ESG standards, Adenia is increasing the
enterprise value for investors, whilst benefiting workers,
communities, and companies in Africa.
Consulting Agency
The creation of the new name was conducted with the active
participation of both Adenia and Erium top management and the
creative support of the Nomen agency.
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