SAINT-GAUDENS, France — A consortium backed by the Occitanie Region has submitted a takeover offer for Fibre Excellence’s Saint-Gaudens pulp mill, providing a potential lifeline for the troubled French producer. The proposal, which includes building-products group Soprema and other industrial partners, calls for €90 million in investment and would preserve approximately 270 jobs. The regional government’s investment agency, ARIS, submitted the bid while participating companies finalize their commitments. One European industrial group is expected to operate the pulp business, while Soprema plans to develop additional activities at the site. Fibre Excellence entered insolvency proceedings in April after its Indonesian shareholder declined further investment. The proposal can be refined until September 3, with the Toulouse Commercial Court scheduled to consider it September 8. [English translation by AI. The full story on La Dépêche is in French only]