French malt producer Malteurop acquires Chunlei to expand Chinese capacity

PARIS, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Malteurop, one of the world's largest producers of beer ingredient malt, has acquired Chunlei Malting Co to expand its capacity in China, the French company said on Friday.

• The deal, concluded this summer, covers Chunlei's malt facility near the eastern city of Yancheng, Malteurop's statement said, adding that the plant can produce 220,000 metric tons of malt annually

• Financial terms were not disclosed

• The acquisition gives Malteurop a second production site in China, adding to its Baoding operation established 30 years ago

• Malteurop, part of French agricultural cooperative Vivescia, has global malt production capacity of more than 2 million tons

• China is one of the world's biggest malt-exporting countries, supported by massive imports of barley as raw material