Sodrugestvo Acquires Leading Russian Railcar Operator

By Sodrugestvo Group, PRNE
Monday, January 17, 2011

Balt-Trans Acquisition Positions Sodrugestvo as Largest Privately Owned Logistics Operator in the Russian Grain Sector

LUXEMBOURG and NEW YORK, January 18, 2011 - Sodrugestvo Group (www.sodrugestvo.com) has acquired Russia-based
railcar operator Balt-Trans, the second largest operator of grain hoppers in
the country.

Founded in 2009 by a group of private investors, Balt-Trans contributes
1,875 grain hoppers and 102 boxcars to the Group's logistics operations,
already consisting of Trans-Agro, a railcar owner, operator and freight
forwarder. Combined, the company now owns a total of 2,225 grain hoppers and
102 boxcars and leases 80 vegetal oil cars on a long-term basis. Sodrugestvo
was the company's largest customer prior to its purchase. The Group has
received all required regulatory approvals for the transaction.

"By combining Balt-Trans' holdings with our existing Trans-Agro
operations, Sodrugestvo is now able to fully control its logistics chain
inside Russia," said Stephane Frappat, CEO of Sodrugestvo Group. "This
acquisition demonstrates our commitment to providing the best possible
customer service to the agricultural markets in Russia, the company's most
important and rapidly growing region."

About Sodrugestvo Group

Sodrugestvo Group (www.sodrugestvo.com), founded in 1994, is a
rapidly growing agro-industrial company serving global markets. The company
is vertically integrated with three business units - specialized
infrastructure (including deep-water sea ports), logistics (including
railcars and storage facilities) and processing facilities (for the
production of proteins and oils from vegetal and animal commodities). In
2010, Sodrugestvo crushed more than 1.1 million tons of soybeans and
rapeseed, making it a leading player in Northern, Central and Eastern Europe.
The company is also expanding into commodities trading and direct origination
capabilities.

Headquartered in Luxembourg, the company has 32 facilities located in
nine countries including Russia, Denmark, Brazil, the United States and
several Eastern European nations. With consolidated sales of $857 million in
its fiscal year ending June 30, 2010, Sodrugestvo has enjoyed average annual
growth of 15 percent or more for the last 10 years. Sodrugestvo employs 1,300
and is privately held.

Jules Abraham, +1-212-808-4904, jules at feintuchpr.com, or Savannah Tikotsky, +1-212-808-4903, savannah at feintuchpr.com, both of Feintuch Communications / NOTE TO EDITORS: This release is available online in the Feintuch Communications media room located at www.feintuchcommunications.com/sodru.

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