Specialty chemical distributor Azelis has signed an agreement to take full ownership of Distralim, a Moroccan distributor of food ingredients. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Based in Casablanca, Distralim has 21 employees, who will all be transferring to Azelis. The acquisition is expected to close during the next three months.

Belgium-based Azelis said it will become one of Morocco's leading food distributors following the takeover of Distralim, which serves the main food markets with ingredients for confectionery, biscuits and ice cream as well as several non-food segments. 

"Morocco, with its population of approximately 35 million inhabitants and strategic location, is an attractive country to grow our business and to further expand into the North and West African regions. The mandates and product offering of Distralim are complementary to ours and enable us to create a solid platform, well equipped for further growth," said Benoit Fritz, Azelis's regional managing director for France and Africa.

Azelis added that the acquisition endorses the commitment of its major shareholder, UK private equity firm Apax Partners, to support global growth in specialty chemicals and food ingredients.

The move is part of the group’s strategic focus on Africa. The distributor entered the region in June 2015 when it founded its first African subsidiary, Azelis Morocco. It opened an office in Casablanca, catering to the food & health market, then expanded into the personal care, textile and CASE (coatings, adhesives, sealants and elastomers) markets. The company also has a warehouse and application laboratory in Casablanca to support local customers’ needs.

A second investment in Africa was in Ivory Coast where Azelis first set up operations in 2016 in Abidjan. Subsequently, the distributor opened a new office in the city in January 2017 to allow room for its planned growth over the next few years.