Those interested have already visited the plants of A Coruña and Avilés and signed contracts to transfer confidential data. They must submit their binding offers this month
The process of sale of the aluminum factories of A Coruña and Avilés advances to five weeks of the deadline to avoid collective dismissal. To save the 375 direct jobs of the factory of A Grela and 313 of the Asturian is necessary that the buyer has closed the deal with Alcoa to June 30. Five companies «of the nine that submitted non-binding offers» have taken a step forward by signing agreements with the multinational aluminera to initiate a due diligence process and exchange confidential information, Alcoa informed the company committees yesterday. Another firm is pending to join.
«The process continues to evolve and these companies have already visited the plants, and in the next few days they will also send the purchase contract to analyze the conditions,» said the president of the Coruñés company committee, Juan Carlos López Corbacho, yesterday at the end of the follow-up meeting of the employment regulation file (ERE) held in Madrid. The Alcoa management and the workers’ representatives agreed to sit down next Tuesday, the day for which the Alcoa institutional table is set at the Ministry of Industry.
The US multinational yesterday evaded reporting on meeting with workers, which considers internal activity, but specified that not all the offers on the table «non-binding» meet the requirements of the ERE to maintain 100% of employment and offer a product viable industrial
Alcoa official sources added that some potential buyers request conditions outside Alcoa, related to the price of energy. In that sense, the aluminera considers «fundamental» to articulate measures so that the Spanish electrointensive industry equates its electrical costs with the EU and «that the plants are competitive», which would shield its sale. The status of the electrointensive industry, in proceedings, delays its entry into force with respect to what was announced by the Government.
«It’s on the right track»
Even without a statute, investors will have to define their binding offers for the Alcoa plants in the coming days. The estimated period for the company for this phase ends on the 31st of this month. According to Corbacho, two other investors weigh the start of the due diligence in which six have entered. Both Alcoa and the works council refuse to specify the names of potential buyers. Among those that have transcended include the Liberty House, Cunext and BCT industrial groups.
For its part, the Minister of Labor, Magdalena Valerio, said yesterday that «there are signs that things are going well» in the negotiation of Alcoa to attract investors. The minister recalled that workers rely on the mediation of the authorities to promote the continuity of their jobs.
«The forecasts in that file are being fulfilled and the Ministry of Industry is very much in demand to have a company that stays with Alcoa,» added Magdalena Valerio.
