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Stelco has a new deal for $900 million that guarantees the ailing
steelmaker will restructure and lets workers keep their wages and
pensions intact.
The deal with Deutsche Bank ensures that Stelco will come out from the
court protection it's been under since January, said CEO Courtney Pratt.
Other bidders will have the next couple of months to try to top
Deutsche Bank's bid, which will become the minimum acceptable bid if it's
approved by the court on Nov. 22. By early this week, Russian steel giant
Severstal and other interested bidders will "know exactly what's on
the table, and then it's up to them to decide how they want to beat
it," Pratt said.
"It is very clear that the board approving this deal, and
submitting it to court, is on the basis that it is open for others to bid
against. They will all have access to detailed information about the
company (to do) their due diligence. Nobody is getting an advantage in
this process," said Pratt.
Severstal spokesperson Ian Blair said Severstal hasn't seen Deutsche
Bank's full offer yet. But "we still believe Severstal's offer is
the most comprehensive. And we look forward to a competitive, transparent
bidding process involving all of Stelco's stakeholders."
Representatives of the United Steelworkers of America will meet with
officials of Deutsche Bank and Stelco this afternoon to get details of
the deal.
"I'm looking forward to finding out what this really means,"
said Bill Ferguson, president of Lake Erie Local 8782. "I usually
don't get too excited about these things until I get the details. It's
just words right now."
Stelco and Deutsche Bank have been in negotiations for weeks, after
receiving the court's approval to hammer out a benchmark deal. If this
one is approved by the court, "it will be in place...there are fees
that we would have to pay to break the deal," Stelco Chief
Restructuring Officer Hap Stephen said.
But he adds that other bidders will have "plenty of time" to
make their offers. Pratt says the board will fully consider all bids.
Bidders have been complaining that Deutsche Bank, a major Stelco
bondholder, had an advantage during Stelco's sale process.
Deutsche Bank's offer is a $900-million financing bid that doesn't
require any government help, said Stelco spokesperson Helen Reeves. It
also gives creditors assurance.
And it requires "no concessions from labour. And no concessions
from employees, retirees," said Stephen. "The only condition is
that (Lake Erie) local 8782 enter into a contract on substantially the
same terms as their existing one. And that doesn't mean there can't be
minor changes, but no changes in economic terms."
General Motors, Stelco's biggest customer, wants the steelmaker to have
a new agreement with its 1,000 unionized Lake Erie workers by Thursday.
The automaker has already pulled its business for the first three months
of next year because it wasn't assured Lake Erie won't strike.
The Deutsche Bank deal requires Stelco to sell off its subsidiaries --
something the union opposes. "The sale of the subsidiaries is a very
important part of the total financing," Pratt said.
This deal will be supported by Stelco's other bondholders, Stephen
said. "There are a number of other bondholders who we believe are
participants in the Deutsche Bank facility."
The $500-million facility is a secured loan that Stelco will receive
under the deal. It's underwritten by CIT Business Credit Canada (a
current Stelco lender) and Deutsche Bank. About $200 million of it will
go to upgrade Stelco's current operations. Deutsche Bank is also offering
a $300-million convertible note (debt which may be converted into shares)
and a $100 million bridge loan, Stephen said. Creditors, who are owed
about $650 million, will receive $400 million under the deal. The balance
of about $250 will be paid in equity (stock), Stephen said.
Shareholders are going to receive warrants, which they can trade for
shares in the new Stelco. Their portion of the equity will remain "modest"
Stelco said. More details about the offer will be made public early this
week.
tperkins@thespec.com 905-526-4620
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