Altadis

Altadis is a Spanish-French tobacco company created in 1999 through the merger of Tabacalera, Spain's former state tobacco monopoly, and SEITA, the former French state tobacco and matches monopoly. The combination brought together two established national tobacco businesses at a time when European tobacco markets were becoming more open to international competition and former state monopolies were being privatized or commercially restructured. The company manufactured and sold cigarettes, cigars, rolling tobacco, pipe tobacco and other tobacco products. Its cigarette business included blond, regular and dark tobacco products, with Spain, France and the United States among its important markets. Altadis also developed a substantial cigar operation. Through the acquisition of Consolidated Cigar Holdings and the merger of Consolidated Cigar with Havatampa, it built a major presence in both premium and mass-market cigars. Associated cigar brands included Romeo y Julieta and Montecristo in international and market-specific forms. Altadis also held a 50 percent interest in Habanos S.A., the Cuban state tobacco company responsible for the international marketing of Cuban premium cigar brands. The company's portfolio and commercial reach expanded through a series of acquisitions. SEITA had acquired Consolidated Cigar Holdings in the United States, while Tabacalera owned Havatampa. These businesses were combined in 2000 as Altadis USA. In 2003, Altadis acquired 800-JR Cigar, an important United States cigar retailer, extending the company's presence beyond manufacturing into specialist distribution and direct retail. Altadis became one of Europe's major tobacco groups and was described as the world's largest producer of mass-market and premium cigars through its international holdings. It also ranked among the world's largest tobacco-product companies by overall production. In 2004, group economic sales were reported at €3.518 billion, up 3.9 percent, and the company had approximately 27,500 employees. These figures relate to that reporting period and should not be treated as current results. In July 2007, Altadis's board supported a €16.2 billion offer from Imperial Tobacco. Regulatory clearance from Spain's stock-market authority followed in November 2007, and the acquisition was completed on 25 February 2008. Altadis was delisted from the Bolsa de Madrid and became a subsidiary of Imperial Tobacco, which later changed its corporate name to Imperial Brands. The Altadis name has consequently continued mainly as a corporate, operating and tobacco-business identity within the Imperial group rather than as an independent listed company. Altadis's history is closely connected with the regulation and restructuring of the tobacco industry. Its markets have been affected by excise taxation, restrictions on advertising and promotion, public-health policies, changing smoking prevalence and the broader shift in tobacco consumption. Public reference material identifies major historical categories and acquisitions, but does not provide a sufficiently complete basis for describing Altadis's current standalone organization, present management structure, full brand ownership by market or current financial performance.

Altadis developed from the former tobacco monopolies of France and Spain. France consolidated its tobacco industry in 1926 into SEIT, a state-run organization whose responsibilities expanded to include matches in 1935; it was then renamed SEITA. Spain established Tabacalera after the Second World War as its state-owned tobacco monopoly. During the 1960s and 1970s, both national systems were gradually weakened by market opening, foreign-brand imports and privatization. SEITA lost its monopoly over tobacco cultivation and sales, while its employees ceased to hold civil-servant status in 1962. Tabacalera and SEITA merged in 1999 to create Altadis. The new group combined manufacturing assets, distribution systems and established cigarette and tobacco brands in Spain and France. It operated in cigarettes, rolling tobacco, pipe tobacco, cigars and related categories. Its international development was particularly significant in cigars. SEITA's purchase of Consolidated Cigar Holdings gave the group access to major United States cigar operations, while Tabacalera's Havatampa business was combined with Consolidated Cigar in August 2000 to form Altadis USA. In September 2000, Altadis purchased a 50 percent stake in Habanos S.A., the Cuban state tobacco monopoly. This gave Altadis a major role in the international distribution and marketing of Cuban premium cigars while the Cuban state retained the other half. Altadis further expanded its United States cigar activities in 2003 by acquiring 800-JR Cigar, a large specialist cigar retailer. Through these holdings, the group became a leading international cigar company spanning mass-market, premium and retail operations. Altadis also maintained a substantial cigarette business. Its products included blond, regular and dark cigarettes, and its principal markets included Spain, France and the United States. Brands and product names associated with its historical portfolio included Gitanes, Gauloises, Ducados, BN, Casa Sports, Amsterdamer and several rolling-tobacco lines. Portfolio ownership and distribution arrangements varied across countries and later changed as the business was integrated into Imperial Tobacco. The group reported economic sales of €3.518 billion in 2004, representing a 3.9 percent increase for that reporting period, and employed approximately 27,500 people. In July 2007, Imperial Tobacco proposed a €16.2 billion acquisition, which Altadis's board supported. Spanish regulatory clearance was obtained on 7 November 2007. Completion followed on 25 February 2008, together with Altadis's delisting from the Bolsa de Madrid. Following the transaction, Altadis became a subsidiary of Imperial Tobacco. Imperial Tobacco subsequently adopted the name Imperial Brands, and the Altadis identity continued within that wider corporate structure. The company's historical development reflects the consolidation of tobacco manufacturing, the internationalization of cigar distribution and the transformation of European state monopolies into private or publicly traded multinational businesses. It also operated under increasingly restrictive tobacco regulation, including excise taxation, advertising controls and public-health measures. Available reference material does not establish a complete current corporate chart or a definitive list of all Altadis-branded operations after integration into Imperial Brands.

• 2008

  Altadis joins Imperial Tobacco

  [1]Altadisen.wikipedia.org

  Imperial Tobacco completed its acquisition of Altadis, which was delisted from the Bolsa de Madrid.

• 2003

  800-JR Cigar is acquired

  [1]Altadisen.wikipedia.org

  Altadis acquired the United States cigar retailer 800-JR Cigar.

• 2000

  Altadis USA is created

  [1]Altadisen.wikipedia.org

  Consolidated Cigar and Havatampa were combined to form Altadis USA.

• 2000

  Altadis acquires a stake in Habanos

  [1]Altadisen.wikipedia.org

  Altadis acquired 50 percent of Habanos S.A., the Cuban state tobacco monopoly.

• 1999

  Altadis is formed

  [1]Altadisen.wikipedia.org

  Spain's Tabacalera and France's SEITA merged to create Altadis.

• 1935

  SEIT becomes SEITA

  [1]Altadisen.wikipedia.org

  The French monopoly added matches to its responsibilities and adopted the SEITA name.

• 1926

  France establishes SEIT

  [1]Altadisen.wikipedia.org

  France concentrated its tobacco industry into the state-run Service d'Exploitation industrielle des tabacs.

An international tobacco group historically positioned across cigarettes, premium and mass-market cigars, rolling tobacco and other traditional tobacco categories, later operating within Imperial Brands.

• Tobacco products

  Cigarettes

  Cigarettes were a central part of Altadis's historical business. The group produced and sold blond, regular and dark tobacco cigarettes, with important activity in Spain, France and the United States. Brands associated with the historical portfolio included Gitanes, Gauloises, Ducados, BN and Casa Sports. Exact ownership and distribution differed by market and later changed following Imperial Tobacco's acquisition.

• Cigars

  Premium cigars

  Premium cigars became one of Altadis's defining international businesses. The company was connected with major brands including Montecristo and Romeo y Julieta through its cigar holdings and with Cuban premium cigars through its 50 percent interest in Habanos S.A. Its position covered manufacturing, international marketing and distribution rather than only cigarette production.

• Cigars

  Mass-market cigars

  Altadis operated in mass-market cigars as well as premium products. Its Consolidated Cigar and Havatampa businesses provided manufacturing and distribution capabilities in the United States, and their combination created Altadis USA in 2000. This broad cigar platform helped make Altadis one of the largest global producers across both premium and mass-market segments.

• Tobacco products

  Rolling tobacco

  Rolling tobacco was part of Altadis's traditional tobacco portfolio. Historical product names associated with this category included Amsterdamer, Kennings, Picadura Ideales, Picadura Selecta, Picadura Fina and Horizon. The products served consumers who roll their own cigarettes and complemented the company's manufactured-cigarette and cigar businesses.

• Tobacco products

  Pipe tobacco

  Pipe tobacco was another traditional category within Altadis's broader tobacco operations. It represented the company's participation in combustible tobacco products beyond cigarettes and cigars, although the available reference material does not provide a complete brand list or detailed product history.

• 2007

  Support Imperial Tobacco's acquisition offerM&A

  Background

  The tobacco industry was undergoing international consolidation, and Imperial Tobacco sought to expand its scale through Altadis.

  Action taken

  Altadis's board backed Imperial Tobacco's €16.2 billion offer.

  Aftermath

  Regulatory clearance was obtained in Spain and the transaction was completed in February 2008.

  Acquisition offer value. €16.2 billion offer (Offer announced in July 2007; completed 25 February 2008)

  Source

• 2003

  Acquire 800-JR CigarM&A

  Background

  Altadis was expanding beyond manufacturing into specialist cigar distribution and retail in the United States.

  Action taken

  Altadis acquired 800-JR Cigar, a large United States cigar retailer.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition added a direct retail channel to Altadis's cigar activities.

  Source

• 2000

  Combine Consolidated Cigar and HavatampaM&A

  Background

  Altadis sought to integrate its United States cigar operations after SEITA's acquisition of Consolidated Cigar and Tabacalera's ownership of Havatampa.

  Action taken

  The two businesses were merged into Altadis USA.

  Aftermath

  Altadis strengthened its position in the United States cigar market and expanded its international cigar platform.

  Source

• 2000

  Acquire 50 percent of Habanos S.A.M&A

  Background

  Premium Cuban cigars were an important international segment, and Habanos S.A. controlled the Cuban state's tobacco interests.

  Action taken

  Altadis acquired a 50 percent interest in Habanos S.A.

  Aftermath

  Altadis obtained a major role in the international marketing and distribution of Cuban premium cigars.

  Source

• 1999

  Merge Tabacalera and SEITAM&A

  Background

  The former Spanish and French tobacco monopolies were operating in increasingly open and competitive European markets.

  Action taken

  The two businesses combined to establish Altadis and consolidate their manufacturing, distribution and brand assets.

  Aftermath

  The merger created a major cross-border tobacco group with cigarette, cigar, rolling-tobacco and pipe-tobacco operations.

  Source

1. 1Altadisen.wikipedia.org