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Brazilian firm to buy swift co In a $225 million cash deal that will give the combined company greater access to expanding markets and operations on three continents.Industry consolidation, analysts said.Processor of beef and pork and has plants in six states and an operation in australia. "From a competitive market standpoint i think it's good,"Said steve meyer, president of paragon economics inc., an Iowabased livestock marketing firm. "We really didn't need to lose another company so this keeps them independent. " J will buy swift from its owners, hm capital partners of dallas and vailbased booth creek management corp.It will assume $1.2 billion in debt and pay transactionrelated expenses. The companies said the combined company will become the largest beef processing operation in the world.Closing, which is contingent upon antitrust reviews, is expected in midjuly. Sao paulobased j is the controlling shareholder of jbs, which is the largest beef processor in latin america, with 23 True Religion plants in brazil and six in argentina.It had nearly $1.8 billion in sales last year. Through swift, j will gain access to global markets, particularly in asia, where imports of beef are strictly regulated because of mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy, which has been linked to more than 150 human deaths worldwide, and footandmouth disease, a highly contagious viral disease that affects clovenhoofed animals like cattle and pigs.Industry)By a foreign entity,"Said steve kay, editor and publisher of the trade publication, cattle buyers weekly. "They obviously want to put themselves in position a global leader in beef processing. " Meyer, who was surprised by the announcement, said j entered the bidding later than other louis vuitton companies and that few thought it would be successful. "They weren't on anybody's radar until just a few weeks ago,"He said. "This company seems to have paid quite a bit of money.And obviously outbid the others so that's the way it's going to be. " In an interview with the associated press, swift chief executive officer and president samRovit said he does not expect largescale changes. Michael Kors Bags UK "We'll be able to access their customers with a broader pallet of products and they'll be able to access our customers,"Rovit said. "Our view is that while they are likely to make some changes.By and large, they are buying into this team and the strategy of this team, and that's great for our employees and for our customers,"He said. The owners of swift, which was targeted by immigration raids in december, began a strategic review in january to decide whether the operations should be sold. "We had a number of parties that were competing for our business which, to us, was never a surprise given that this was clarisonic brush the last large free radical left in meatpacking sector of any united states,"Rovit said.Meatpackers looked at potential partnerships to acquire swift's assets and also comply with antitrust issues. Swift, which has about 20, 000 employees, was purchased by hm capital and booth creek in september 2002 from conagra meats co.The six plants represented all of swift's domestic beef processing capacity and 77 percent of its pork processing capacity.The company said last month that it has refilled positions left vacant as a result of the raids. Swift initially estimated the financial effect of the raids at $30 million but has raised that estimate to as much as $50 million because it took longer than expected to return the beef plants to full production, which caused higher costs and led to lost business opportunities.This material may not be published, broadcast, moncler coats rewritten or redistributed. Relatives and supporters, left, ofSwift co.Meat louis vuitton uk outlet processing plant workers, face off with immigration police at the entrance of aSwift co.Meat processing plant, during a raid in greeley, colo., Dec.12, 2006.Swift co., one of the nation's largest meatpackers, said Tuesday, May 29, 2007, it will be sold to a Brazilian company in a $225 million cash deal.The announcement comes about four months after swift, which was targeted by a widescale immigration raid in december, said it was reviewing its operations and looking at a potential sale. (Ap photo/file/ed andrieski, file)