Liberty Ostrava is being transferred to a new owner under the name Nová Huť

The Czech steel plant Liberty Ostrava, which was in bankruptcy, became the property of SPV NH Ostrava, controlled by businessman and former Czech Interior Minister Martin Pečina, on October 1, 2025. This was reported by iDnes.

Under the agreement, the new owner paid CZK 3.01 billion and restored the plant’s historical name, Nová Huť, as well as outlined plans to resume production and investments.

The company plans to continue producing seamless and welded pipes, coils, fences, and long products, while maintaining cooperation with key partners. For now, production will remain in tolling mode in cooperation with Vítkovice Machinery Trade and Don Quixote. According to CEO Radek Strouhal, significant investments are only possible after the transition to bank financing, when the company regains market confidence and confirms stable operations.

The owner plans to divide the nearly 600 hectares of industrial site into production and development zones. Primary steel production — blast furnaces, coke chemical division, and steelworks — will remain idle and will eventually be dismantled. Instead, there are plans to build a modern electric arc furnace, which will require state support. Part of the territory is to be transformed into one of the largest industrial zones in the Czech Republic, open to new investors.

“Restarting outdated facilities will be more expensive than new construction, so we will demolish them,” explained Struhal.

At the same time, management agreed with the unions to extend the collective agreement until 2028 and increase salaries by two thousand crowns. At the same time, it was agreed to reduce the extremely high severance pay, which paves the way for further staff optimization.

Insolvency administrator Šimon Peták expects the sale of assets to bring creditors several billion crowns, in particular through the sale of emission allowances. At the same time, legal proceedings against the former owner of Liberty Group will continue, which could drag on for years.

Martin Pečina emphasized that he sees potential in a production model without primary steel smelting. According to him, focusing on the processing of imported semi-finished products and diversification of the territory is the only realistic way to quickly revive the plant.

It should be recalled that the merger of SPV NH Ostrava and SPV NH Koksovna, owned by former Interior Minister Martin Pecina, submitted an application to acquire Liberty Ostrava in July this year.

Last year, Liberty Ostrava declared bankruptcy. The company operated three facilities under tolling agreements – in the fall of 2024, the production of road barriers, reinforcement bars, and seamless pipes was resumed. In February 2025, the process of selling the company began. The company traditionally produces steel for the construction, machine-building, and petrochemical industries.