ASX ANNOUNCEMENT 22 September 2008 Administrators appointed to 50% owned joint venture company Natural Fuels Australia Limited (NFAL) a 50/50 Joint Venture between Natural Fuel Limited and Babcock and Brown Environmental Investments Limited has appointed Peter Walker and Steven Sherman of Ferrier Hodgson as joint and several voluntary administrators under Part 5.3A of the Corporations Act 2001. NFAL and its subsidiary Natural Fuel Darwin Pty LTD (NFD) own and operate the biodiesel production facility in Darwin. The directors of NFAL resolved to appoint administrators on Friday 19 September 2008 following the withdrawal of funding support by Babcock and Brown Environmental Investments Limited, with the effect that the 30 September 2008 repayment date for NFAL’s secured loan to that shareholder would not be extended. Administrators have not been appointed to Natural Fuel Limited. The directors believe that Natural Fuel Limited’s financial position remains sound and that the appointment of administrators to NFAL and NFD will not adversely affect it. Following an assessment of the recoverability of Natural Fuel Limited’s secured loan to NFAL, Natural Fuel Limited raised a provision for impairment of $30.3 million in its 31 December 2007 financial statements. In Natural Fuel Limited’s preliminary final report as at 30 June 2008, that loan was valued at $13.8 million. Natural Fuel Limited considers it is likely that a further provision for impairment of its loan to NFAL will now be required and will determine the appropriate quantum of this as soon as possible. The directors of Natural Fuel Limited are disappointed with this development. They note, however, that Natural Fuel Limited will cease providing funding for NFAL, allowing it to focus on its wholly owned biodiesel production facility in Singapore. This is expected to have a positive impact on cashflow and earnings
BNB Price at posting:
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