This is
a correction of the announcement from 18:29 13.06.2016 EDT. Reason
for the correction: Company name presented incorrectly in
headline
Franklin, Tennessee - June 13,
2016 - Noranda Aluminum Holding Corporation (OTC: NORNQ)
("Noranda" or the "Company") today announced that it has entered
into an asset purchase agreement with Gränges AB, under which a
subsidiary of Gränges will serve as the "stalking horse" bidder for
Noranda's Flat-Rolled Products business in a court-supervised sale
process designed to maximize the value of such business.
The agreement values the Flat-Rolled Products
business at $302.5 million, on a debt-free, cash-free basis.
If other qualified bids are submitted, the Company will conduct an
auction pursuant to section 363 of U.S. Bankruptcy Code. The
asset purchase agreement with Gränges sets the floor for the
auction, which is designed to achieve the highest or otherwise best
offer.
A hearing to approve the stalking horse bid is
scheduled for June 22, 2016. Upon court approval of the
stalking horse bid, the deadline for submitting qualified bids is
expected to be June 29, 2016. If qualified bids are
submitted, an auction would be held on July 7, 2016. A hearing to
approve a sale will take place on July 14, 2016.
The proposed transaction with Gränges is being
undertaken pursuant to section 363 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code and
is subject to, among other things, higher or otherwise better bids,
Court approval and other customary conditions.
The Flat-Rolled Products business will continue to
serve customers in the ordinary course as it moves through the
court-supervised sale process.
Maximizing the Value of the
Upstream Business
Separately, Noranda today filed a motion with the
Bankruptcy Court seeking approval of Bidding Procedures to conduct
an orderly and efficient sales process of its Upstream
Business.
The motion outlines a sale process that is open to
all qualified bidders subject to the rules of the bidding
procedures. Through this process, Noranda will select the
highest or otherwise best offer for the sale of all, or
substantially all, of the assets comprising its Upstream
business.
Noranda expects the bidding procedures motion to
be heard by the Bankruptcy Court on July 14, 2016. Under the
proposed bidding procedures, the deadline to submit qualified bids
is September 15, 2016 and, if multiple bids are submitted, an
auction would take place on September 22, 2016. Subject to
the Court's availability, a hearing to approve a sale will take
place on September 27, 2016.
The Upstream business will continue to operate in
the ordinary course as it has throughout the Company's chapter 11
case.
Additional Information
Additional information is available on the
restructuring page of the Company's website,
www.norandaaluminum.com/restructuring. Court filings and other
information related to the court-supervised proceedings are
available at a website administered by the Company's claims agent,
Prime Clerk, at http://cases.primeclerk.com/noranda. The Company
has also established a Restructuring Hotline at 855-410-7360
(U.S.), or 646-795-6965 (international), as well as a Customer
Hotline at 855-252-2156 (U.S.), or 917-651-0441
(international).
About the Company
Noranda is an integrated producer of primary
aluminum and high-quality rolled aluminum coils. The Company has
two businesses: an Upstream Business and a Downstream Business. The
Upstream Business is one of the largest non-metallurgical or
chemical grade alumina producers in North America. The Downstream,
or Flat-Rolled Products Business, is one of the largest aluminum
foil producers in North America, and consists of four rolling mill
facilities.
Forward-Looking
Statements
For this press release, statements that are not
purely historical are "forward looking statements" within the
meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section
21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking
statements may be identified by the words "believe," "expect,"
"anticipate," "plan," "intend," "will" and other similar
expressions. All forward-looking statements made by Noranda
reflect the Company's expectations and not guarantees of future
performance and are subject to various risks, uncertainties and
factors relating to Noranda's operations and business environment,
and the progress of its Chapter 11 Case, all of which are difficult
to predict and many of which are beyond Noranda's control, which
could cause Noranda's actual results to differ materially from
those matters expressed in or implied by these forward-looking
statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: those
described under the "Risk Factors" section and elsewhere in
Noranda's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2015 which is available on Noranda's website
www.norandaaluminum.com and on the Securities and Exchange
Commission's website at www.sec.gov; unfavorable economic,
financial and business conditions; risks and uncertainties relating
to the chapter 11 filing by Noranda; Noranda's ability to obtain
Bankruptcy Court approval with respect to motions filed in the
Chapter 11 Case, including with respect to its debtor-in-possession
financing facilities; the effectiveness of any strategies employed
by Noranda with respect to its overall restructuring activities,
including those intended to address liquidity and capital resources
issues; potential adverse effects of the Chapter 11 Case on
Noranda's liquidity, results of operations, and relationships with
key constituents; any actions taken by creditors, regulators, or
other third parties during the pendency of the Chapter 11 Case; the
length of time that Noranda will operate under Chapter 11
protection and its continued ability to access operating capital
during the pendency of the proceedings; risks associated with third
party motions in the Chapter 11 Case, which may interfere with
Noranda's ability to confirm and consummate a Chapter 11 plan; and
the ability of the debtors to negotiate, develop, confirm and
substantially consummate a Chapter 11 plan.
Forward-looking statements made by Noranda in this
press release, or elsewhere, speak only as of the date on which the
statements were made. New risks and uncertainties arise from time
to time, and it is impossible for Noranda to predict these events
or how they may affect it or its anticipated results. Noranda
assumes no obligations to update any forward-looking statements
made in this press release to reflect subsequent events or
circumstances or actual outcomes.
Media Inquiries
John A. Parker
Vice President of Communication and Investor Relations
(615) 771-5734
john.parker@noralinc.com
Michael Freitag
Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher
(212) 355-4449
This
announcement is distributed by NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions on
behalf of NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions clients.
The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely
responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the
information contained therein.
Source: Noranda Aluminum Holding Corporation via
Globenewswire
HUG#2020379