Norton Rose Fulbright advises Liberty House on the acquisition of Europe's largest aluminum smelter

Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright has advised Liberty House Group on the US$500m financing for the acquisition of the largest aluminium smelter in Europe, a plant employing more than 500 people with an annual production capacity of over 280,000 tonnes.

Liberty House is a UK-based industrial and metals group that is a subsidiary of the global GFG Alliance. It has purchased the Dunkirk-based smelter from Anglo-Australian mining group Rio Tinto. 

Norton Rose Fulbright's banking and finance team in Paris was responsible for all financing aspects on the acquirer side, setting up a US$350m financing from a banking pool including lead arranger Bank of America Merrill Lynch and other participants, including BNP Paribas, ICBC, Standard Bank, Morgan Stanley, Natixis, Barclays Bank PLC, Bank of Montreal and Royal Bank of Canada.

Christine Ezcutari, head of Norton Rose Fulbright’s Paris banking team, commented:

“We are delighted to have assisted on this complex transaction. It is a significant development for the French market, between two major global players in the mining and metallurgical sectors, and paves the way for a downstream investment programme at the plant.”

The team advising Liberty House was led by partner Christine Ezcutari, assisted by of counsel Alexandre Roth and associate Alexis Babin de Lignac.

For further information please contact:

Carole Guettier, Senior business development manager, Norton Rose Fulbright LLP
Tel: + 33 (0)1 56 59 52 75
carole.guettier@nortonrosefulbright.com

Charles Billiard, Communication Executive, Norton Rose Fulbright LLP
Tel: + 33 (0)1 56 59 52 96
charles.billiard@nortonrosefulbright.com 

Notes for editors:

Norton Rose Fulbright

Norton Rose Fulbright is a global law firm providing the world’s preeminent corporations and financial institutions with a full business law service. The firm has more than 4,000 lawyers and other legal staff based in Europe, the United States, Canada, Latin America, Asia, Australia, Africa and the Middle East.

Recognized for its industry focus, Norton Rose Fulbright is strong across all the key industry sectors: financial institutions; energy; infrastructure, mining and commodities; transport; technology and innovation; and life sciences and healthcare. Through its global risk advisory group, the firm leverages its industry experience with its knowledge of legal, regulatory, compliance and governance issues to provide clients with practical solutions to the legal and regulatory risks facing their businesses.

Norton Rose Fulbright operates in accordance with its global business principles of quality, unity and integrity, aiming to provide the highest possible standard of legal service in each of its offices and to maintain that level of quality at every point of contact.

Norton Rose Fulbright Verein, a Swiss verein, helps coordinate the activities of Norton Rose Fulbright members but does not itself provide legal services to clients. Norton Rose Fulbright has offices in more than 50 cities worldwide, including London, Houston, New York, Toronto, Mexico City, Hong Kong, Sydney and Johannesburg. For more information about Norton Rose Fulbright, see nortonrosefulbright.com/legal-notices.