ARCOUR obtains long-term financing of €625 million

17 March 2008 - Finances - France

ARCOUR, concessionaire of the A19 motorway for a 65-year period and subsidiary of VINCI Concessions, just signed a financing contract worth €625 million with the European Investment Bank (EIB) and a group of arranging banks consisting of BBVA, Calyon, Fortis, ING and Royal Bank of Scotland.
This transaction is to finance ARCOUR's investments for the design and build of the 101 km East-West motorway section linking Artenay to Courtenay in the south of the Greater Paris region. This is the largest motorway project currently underway in France, with the total cost of work estimated at almost €700 million. Operation of the motorway section will be delegated to Cofiroute, subsidiary of VINCI Concessions. The motorway is to open in the 3rd quarter 2009.
The financing granted by the EIB is in the form of an amortising loan for €200 million with a maturity of 37 years, with a grace period of 10 years.
The loan granted by the group of commercial banks amounts to €425 million with a maturity of 10 years, payable on maturity.
This transaction provides ARCOUR, whose capital expenditure was, until now, financed by the VINCI group, with a long-term dedicated financing structure, mainly at a fixed rate and suited to the specific nature of the project.

About VINCI
VINCI is a global player in concessions, energy and construction, employing 280,000 people in more than 120 countries. We design, finance, build and operate infrastructure and facilities that help improve daily life and mobility for all. Because we believe in all-round performance, we are committed to operating in an environmentally, socially responsible and ethical manner. And because our projects are in the public interest, we consider that reaching out to all our stakeholders and engaging in dialogue with them is essential in the conduct of our business activities. Based on that approach, VINCI’s ambition is to create long-term value for its customers, shareholders, employees, partners and society in general.