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MPACT LIMITED - Announcement relating to the disposal of Mpact's Versapak division

Release Date: 01/08/2024 08:00
Code(s): MPT     PDF:  
Wrap Text
Announcement relating to the disposal of Mpact's Versapak division

MPACT LIMITED
(Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa)
(Registration number: 2004/025229/06)
JSE code: MPT ISIN: ZAE000156501
("the Company" or "Mpact")

ANNOUNCEMENT RELATING TO THE DISPOSAL OF MPACT'S VERSAPAK
DIVISION


1.   Introduction

     Mpact is pleased to advise shareholders that on 31 July
     2024, the Company, through its subsidiary Mpact Operations
     Proprietary Limited (the "Seller"), entered into a sale of
     business agreement (the "Sale Agreement") with Greenpath
     Recycling Proprietary Limited (the "Purchaser")(a wholly
     owned subsidiary of Sinica Manufacturing Proprietary
     Limited ("Sinica")), in terms of which the Seller will
     dispose of its Versapak business ("Versapak" or the
     "Business") to the Purchaser for an amount equal to
     R267 747 498 (including VAT at 0%) ("Purchase Price")
     (the "Disposal"). As part of the Disposal, the Purchaser
     will be acquiring the Business as a going concern, and the
     employees will transfer to the Purchaser in accordance
     with section 197 of the Labour Relations Act. The Purchase
     Price will be adjusted based on the actual amount of stock
     on hand and the value of certain employee liabilities as
     at the effective date of the Disposal.

     The Disposal excludes all cash, debtors and creditors of
     the Business. Also excluded from the Disposal are the two
     properties from which the Business operates. The parties
     have therefore also entered into two separate lease
     agreements in terms of which the Purchaser will lease
     these properties (including the respective installed Solar
     Equipment and Generator Systems) on market-related terms
     (the "Lease Agreements").

2.   Description of the Business

     Versapak is a division of Mpact and operates a business
     comprising the production of styrene and PET trays and
     punnets, as well as vinyl cling film. The Business is
     operated from two plants in Paarl, Western Cape, and
     Roodekop, Gauteng. The Lease Agreements relate to the two
     properties on and from which the Business is operated.

     Sinica is a manufacturer and supplier of a range of
     plastic packaging products, including polystyrene meal
     boxes and trays, vinyl film, and polyamide ethylene vinyl
     alcohol vacuum bags. Sinica's products are manufactured at
     a facility located in Benoni, Gauteng.

3.   Rationale for the Disposal

     Following a strategic review in 2021, a decision was taken
     by Mpact to sell Versapak pursuant to its ongoing
     portfolio optimisation plan. The rationale for the
     decision was that the products of Versapak are not fully
     aligned with Mpact's strategy. A process to sell the
     Business as a going concern then commenced with a number
     of interested parties invited to participate in the sale
     process. Mpact has since reported the Business as held-
     for-sale in accordance with IFRS from the 2021 financial
     year and in subsequent financial years.

4.   Conditions precedent and effective date

     The Disposal is subject to the fulfilment or waiver (to
     the extent legally permissible) of the following
     conditions precedent (the "Conditions Precedent"):

       •   the approval of the Disposal by the South African
           competition authorities either unconditionally, or
           conditionally on terms and conditions confirmed to be
           acceptable to each of the Seller and the Purchaser
           (such confirmation not to be unreasonably withheld or
           delayed);

       •   the entry into of the ancillary transaction
           agreements including, inter alia, the Lease
           Agreements, and such agreements becoming
           unconditional in accordance with their terms; and

       •   the Seller having published the notices required to
           be published in relation to the Disposal, in terms of
           section 34 of the Insolvency Act.

     The effective date of the Disposal is the first day of the
     calendar month immediately following the calendar month in
     which all of the Conditions Precedent have been fulfilled
     or waived. The Company anticipates the effective date to
     be in Q4 of 2024, subject to the approval of the
     competition authorities having been received timeously.

5.   Payment and application of the Purchase Price

     The Purchase Price is payable by the Purchaser on the
     effective date of the Disposal. The Purchaser is currently
     awaiting final funding approval from its debt funder,
     however, this approval is not a condition precedent to the
     Disposal as Sinica has guaranteed all obligations of the
     Purchaser in terms of the Sale Agreement, including the
     payment of the Purchase Price on the effective date. The
     Disposal proceeds will be applied towards the settlement
     of debt by Mpact.

6.   Warranties and other significant terms of the Sale
     Agreement

     The Sale Agreement contains warranties, representations
     and indemnities given by the Seller in favour of the
     Purchaser, and by the Purchaser (and Sinica) in favour of
     the Seller, which are customary for a transaction of this
     nature.

7.   Financial information

     The value of the net assets comprising the assets that are
     the subject of the Disposal as at 31 December 2023, being
     the date of the last audited annual financial statements
     of the Seller was R239 278 483.

     The audited profits before tax attributable to the assets
     that are the subject of the Disposal was R175 686 174,
     based on the audited annual financial statements of the
     Seller for the year ended 31 December 2023, which were
     prepared in terms of IFRS. The profit before tax includes
     a R74.0 million fair value gain recognised on the
     remeasurement of plant and equipment.

8.   Categorisation of the Disposal

     The Disposal (including any adjustments referred to in
     paragraph 1 above) constitutes a category 2 transaction as
     outlined in paragraph 9.5(a) of the JSE Listing
     Requirements.



Melrose Arch

1 August 2024



Sponsor

The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited

Date: 01-08-2024 08:00:00
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