"Tamina," the new name of the Fattal group acquired by CMA CGM. (Credit: Image provided to L'Orient-Le Jour by CMA CGM.)
BEIRUT — The Fattal Group, the Lebanese distributor acquired in August by French shipping company CMA CGM, has been renamed "Tamina," the two companies announced Thursday in a statement shared on social media.
The name, inspired by the Arabic word "thamina" ("precious"), is intended, according to the statement, to represent the group’s employees, the brands entrusted to it, and its relationships with customers, suppliers and partners.
Present in 10 countries across the Middle East and North Africa, according to the statement, Tamina distributes fast-moving consumer goods, pharmaceutical products, and beauty and fashion items. Its integration with CMA CGM is expected to create synergies between the two groups’ logistics networks and expand their distribution capabilities.
CMA CGM finalized the acquisition of Fattal, which was founded in 1897, on Aug. 6 through its subsidiary CEVA Logistics, following the announcement of an agreement in April. The amount of the transaction was not disclosed. With the integration, the group will employ nearly 4,000 people in Lebanon, the company said in August.
L’Orient-Le Jour had learned that Joe Dakkak, general manager of CMA CGM in Lebanon and the Levant, would be appointed chairman of the distribution group’s board.
CMA CGM has been operating in Lebanon since 1978. The French maritime transport giant, the world’s third-largest shipping company, operates the container terminals at the ports of Beirut and Tripoli.
In recent years, the group, led by CEO Rodolphe Saade, has strengthened its presence in Lebanon, either directly or through Merit, the Saade family’s holding company, which is the parent company and majority shareholder of the global shipping and logistics giant. The holding company acquired nut and confectionery producer Rifai in 2021, followed by Lebanese artisan chocolatier Souchet in 2023.
