Mannheim, 17 May 2016 - CropEnergies AG, Mannheim, will propose to the annual general meeting on 12 July 2016 to once again pay a dividend to reflect the significantly improved earnings situation of the past financial year 2015/16 (1 March 2015 - 29 February 2016). Each share is to receive a dividend of EUR 0.15 (previous year: EUR 0.00). The supervisory board has approved of the executive board's suggestion in its meeting on 17 May 2016.
On a basis of the issued 87.25 million shares, this results in a total dividend distribution of EUR 13.1 (previous year: EUR 0.0) million. The CropEnergies executive board has decided to start up the bioethanol plant in Wilton, UK, for a trial run starting in July 2016 at the latest. The plant has been offline following a pause in production since February 2015. During this time, numerous technical modifications have been carried out to improve the reliability and energy efficiency of the plant. These improvements, following their completion, need to be fully tested in a trial run. It remains essential that EU Member States, in order to further decarbonize the transport sector, to meet renewable targets in both Member States and at a EU level and to protect local investments and jobs, continue to increase their renewable blending obligations. In particular in the UK, an early increase in the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO) and the introduction of higher ethanol blends (i.e. E10) are very important if the plant in Wilton is to operate on a permanent basis. The full annual report for the financial year 2015/16 will be published on 18 May 2016.
Die CropEnergies AG
Ensuring mobility in a climate friendly way - today and in the future - is CropEnergies' business. Founded in Mannheim, Germany, in 2006, the young and dynamically growing member of the Südzucker Group is one of the leading European manufacturers of sustainably produced bioethanol for the fuel sector today. With its production capacities of 1.3 million cubic meters of bioethanol per year, CropEnergies produces bioethanol which predominantly replaces petrol in four modern production facilities in Germany, Belgium, the UK, and France. The highly efficient production facilities reduce CO2 emissions by up to 70 percent across the whole value-added chain compared to fossil fuel. With the production sites, the unique logistics network in Europe as well as trading offices in the USA, Brazil, and Chile, CropEnergies is one of the leading companies in a major emerging market. At the same time, CropEnergies is an important producer of food and animal feed products. The raw materials which are used such as cereals and sugar beets are completely utilized. As a result, more than 1 million tonnes of high-quality protein food and animal feed products are manufactured every year out of the non-fermentable components of the raw materials.
Through advanced technology and innovation CropEnergies contributes to ensure a sustainable mobility from renewable sources today and in the future through its main product bioethanol: mobility - sustainable. renewable. The CropEnergies AG stock (ISIN DE000AOLAUP1) has been listed at the regulated market (Prime Standard) at the Frankfurt Stock Exchange since 2006.