Tag: construction group

Ministry Of Employment Sells 2 Plots Of Land In Málaga

16 December 2016 – Real Estate Press

The Ministry of Employment has managed to sell off two plots of lands located in Málaga capital, which it no longer requires after it rules out an operation to construct the new headquarters for the Comisiones Obreras and UGT trade unions on one site and a building for the Malagan Confederation of Entreprenuers (CEM) on the other.

On Tuesday, the auction called by the Government to award these plots of land was tentatively resolved, after a first attempt in April 2015 was abandoned because no offers were received. On this occasion, the plots of land were awarded to two provisional buyers. One of the plots, located on Calle Padre Jorge Lamothe, behind the Ibis Hotel, which was previously going to house the new headquarters for local businessmen, was put up for auction for €406,366 and has been awarded to the Malagan-based construction group Rivervial for €610,005, according to sources at the Ministry of Employment.

The other, located on Calle Mesonero Romanos, in the Teatinos neighbourhood, and which had been initially reserved for a new building for the trade unions, is going to be sold to the company Resa, Encampus Residencias de Estudiantes, for €1,752,000, which represents an increase of €184,050 above its original asking price. In this way, the central Government will pocket €2,362,005 from the sale of both plots of land.

High demand for halls of residence in Málaga

In both cases, the plots of land will house halls of residence for students, a real estate product that, according to sources consulted, is in high demand in Málaga at the moment. Sources close to Rivervial agreed; the construction group is seeking to diversify its current business portfolio through this project. In this case, the land is located in the heart of the city’s Historical Centre, next to the Guadalmedina River.

The site on Mesonero Romanos will allow Resa to build its third hall of residence for students in Andalucía; it already owns one in each of Sevilla and Granada. Its Commercial Director, Carlos Cano, explained that the hall of residence in Málaga will have 300 beds in a nine-storey building that will have a constructed surface area of 8,500 m2. “The idea is to start processing the construction licence as soon as the Ministry confirms that we have been awarded the plot, so that the hall of residence can open its doors in September 2019”, explained the Head of Resa, which currently owns 33 properties of this kind, containing 9,000 beds in 19 cities. The building in Málaga will offer air-conditioned rooms, equipped with their own kitchen, study rooms, classrooms, a swimming pool, cafeteria and car park, amongst other facilities.

Original story: Real Estate Press

Translation: Carmel Drake

The Monje Family Puts Assignia Construction Group Up For Sale

9 December 2016 – Expansión

The Monje Tuñón family, the controlling shareholder of Assignia Infrastructuras, has launched a feasibility plan to refinance the construction company’s debt and resolve the collapse of the group that has, amongst other consequences, resulted in the delayed payment of the last three months salaries to the workforce of 1,600 employees and which may force the company to suspend its payments it it fails to reach an agreement over the next few weeks.

The owner, which has stepped up talks with its financial creditors, is considering several measures to comply with the banks’ demands and access new lines of financing. In addition to the sale of several smaller assets, the Monje family has put the construction company up for sale, after identifying interest from several investment funds and two Asian industrial groups. The aim is that, with the entry of a new shareholder through a capital increase, the company’s balance sheet would be strengthened and an agreement would be facilitated with the banks to refinance a €60 million debt, which matures in December this year. (…).

The construction company forms part of the group of medium-sized companies in the sector, it is geographically diverse (with operations in 14 countries) and has several valuable assets, especially those granted under concession agreements. Assignia recorded turnover of €250 million in 2015, up by 12% compared with the previous year, and an EBITDA of €18 million. Its result was negative (-€4 million) due to its significant financial expenses, which amount to €12 million per year.

The group’s production portfolio currently amounts to around €700 million, but some of that amount is doubtful, given that Assignia, like all of the other companies in the sector has fallen victim to non-payments by debtors. (…).

As such, the company is preparing to implement an ERE redundancy plan in Spain, which will affect around 150 people, equivalent to almost 10% of its workforce. (…).

In the meantime, negotiations with the banks continue. The aim is that the banks will facilitate new maturity periods and open new lines of credit to ensure the continued operation of the company. Assignia’s financial debt is distributed between 10 banks through a syndicated loan that had to be renegotiated in March this year. Santander is the agent bank and Bankia is the entity with the highest exposure (around €20 million). CaixaBank and Sabadell, amongst others, also participate in the syndicate.

Original story: Expansión (by C. Morán)

Translation: Carmel Drake