The sale of the plant did not take place due to the new status – the Ministry of Defense may take control of the enterprise
The auction for the sale of the Polish steel plant Huta Częstochowa, scheduled for February 17, 2025, has been canceled. The company, valued at PLN 227 million, had several potential buyers, but the auction failed due to the fact that the company was included in the list of strategic companies in Poland, DziennikZachodni reports.
According to the Ministry of Industry, Huta Częstochowa plays a key role in ensuring national security. It is the only steel plant in Poland that has the technological capabilities to produce hardened steel sheets used in the military industry. In addition, the company has one of the largest production facilities in the EU, which allows it to repair military equipment. Now, the plant can be sold or transferred only with the consent of the government, and the Polish Ministry of Defense has been designated as the company’s controlling body.
“The cancellation was due to formal procedural reasons, as Article 311 of the Bankruptcy Law requires that before selling a strategic enterprise, the Ministry of Defense must be contacted to determine its interest in buying the plant,” comments Adrian Dzwolnick, the company’s insolvency administrator.
Thus, so far, none of the two submitted bids – from Węglokoks and Jindal – has been considered.
If the Ministry of Defense exercises its right of redemption, the plant will become state property. Otherwise, the privatization process may be resumed.
“For all of us, this is a new situation, and such procedures have never been used in Poland before,” Dzwolnick added.
Węglokoks spokesman Michał Łyczak, in turn, noted that this decision is in line with the bankruptcy law, which provides for such decisions. Now all actions are in the hands of the trustee and the Ministry of National Defense
As GMK Center reported earlier, Huta Częstochowa, which has only recently resumed operations after a 14-month downtime, has been included in the list of strategic enterprises in Poland. This decision means that any sale or transfer of the company to foreign investors will now require state approval. In addition, the company has been placed under the supervision of the Ministry of Defense.
