The takeover project, led by a Franco-American consortium represented by Frenchman Steve Filipov, plans to maintain 145 jobs.We made a buyout offer of 10 million euros and we reassessed the number of employees retained from 130 to 145 after having discussed with the CSE. We are going to reorganize production and merge certain positions“, the businessman said. The court should rule before July 31.
Steve Filipov is already familiar with Metalliance. Before spending four years at Manitex International, a global manufacturer of specialized industrial and lifting equipment, he was brought in to buy the same site in 1995 on behalf of Terex Corporation, a global manufacturer of construction and port equipment.I kept it for 17 years. I know the site, the teams“, he assures.
A Franco-American alliance
To carry out the acquisition project, a consortium has come together under the holding company Corail-SM, the French subsidiary of the American fund Coral Reef. On board are Sandton Capital, another American fund, as well as an industrialist from across the Atlantic: Mining Equipment.This is the current concessionaire of Metalliance. We will also include in the capital the company Novium based in Montceau-les-Mines (Saône-et-Loire) which also operates in rail and road with a similar clientele“, explains the representative, before specifying that the Lyonnais Blyyd (Rhône) is also part of the project. “They have a fleet of 140 Gaussin electric tractors for which we will ensure assembly and reconditioning on the Metalliance site.”
High ambitions
Showing confidence that his offer will be accepted by the court, Steeve Filipov hopes to relaunch the site quickly.We need to restart production for the underground market because we have 50 million euros of orders to fulfill for several customers. We will reinject capital to buy the missing components and invest in the machinery needed for the activity.»
In the longer term, the potential buyer wants to take advantage of the commitment of the American Mining Equipment to gain visibility. “I estimate that we have between 15 and 20 million euros of orders to come over three years.”emphasizes Steve Filipov. Synergies are also envisaged with Blyyd on decarbonized mobility, beyond the retrofit activities envisaged.We are developing an electric truck that we will launch in 2025” he says.
For its part, the Gaussin group, the current majority shareholder of Metalliance, but in open conflict with its current management, has expressed its hostility towards this takeover offer, which it describes in a press release as “capture or misappropriation of know-how”. It wants to be able to buy back the stock of parts from the site, intended for its own production, for three million euros. Gaussin SA employees were present before the court on 17 July.
Source: www.usinenouvelle.com
