The acquisition will be finalised 21 January and Cargill will assume ownership.
Under terms of the agreement, Cargill acquired Pennfield’s animal feed mills and associated assets located in Mount Joy and Martinsburg, Pennsylvania.
To help the sale of its assets, Pennfield filed voluntary Chapter 11 Bankruptcy petitions in US Bankruptcy court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in October 2012.
Cargill’s preliminary bid was filed with the bankruptcy court on 28 December last year. The judge then set a court date of 17 January 2013, to allow for a simultaneous live auction of other bids received during the interim time frame and a confirmation of the ultimate bid which would provide the best combination of fit and value for the secured creditors in the bankruptcy estate.
“We are thrilled to add Pennfield’s state-of-the-art facilities and knowledgeable employees to the Cargill family,” said Rob Sheffer, group director, for Cargill’s Northeast region.
“The deal not only expands our footprint in the region but it also provides us with additional capabilities and opportunities to serve new customer segments and enhance our offerings for existing customers in the region.”
Jennifer Horn, former director of administration and family member of Pennfield will join Cargill as administration team lead, where she will be responsible for overseeing Pennfield customer and employee communications.
“We believe the employees and customers of Pennfield could not have received a better outcome than being part of the Cargill family,” Ms Horn said.
“Cargill is not only a market leader but also a family-owned organization that shares the same values and commitment to providing the best products for our customers.”
