October 22, 2011 - The cash-strapped, debt-burdened Southern Petrochemicals Industries Corporation (Spic) will soon enter into an agreement with Greenstar Fertilizers to sell its phosphatics business, including that of sulphuric acid, phosphoric acid, DAP, NPK, single super phosphate and aluminium fluoride units, situated at Tuticorin district of Tamil Nadu, for an undisclosed sum.  Interestingly, Spic group company, Sicagen India, is said to have invested R50 crore into Greenstar Fertilizers for 11% non-convertible redeemable cumulative preference share of R100 each, sources pointed out.  Greenstar was incorporated in August 2010 with an aim to distribute imported fertilisers, micro nutrients apart from entering into manufacturing of fertilisers and allied products. It is learnt that Greenstar has offices in Noida and Chennai. Promoters of Spic, including AC Muthiah, Ashwin Muthiah and Sidd Lifesciences (run by Ashwin Muthiah) together hold 48% in Sicagen India.  Asset Reconstruction Company of India (Arcil), the debt aggregator, which took over the estimated R3,000 crore debt portion of Spic a few years ago, has been involved in selling non-core businesses, stakes in JVs, bad assets and real estates of Spic to retire the high-cost debt and the decision to sell the phosphatics business is considered to be one such move by Spic.  It is believed that Spic is expected to raise not less than R300 crore out of this sale, sources said. Sicagen India is country’s leading provider of trading and marketing services for construction-related industrial and retail infrastructure.   A committee, set up to dispose the phosphatics business, has approved the sale of the same at its meeting recently. The phosphatics assets are being sold not only to bring down the company’s huge liabilities, but also to bring back its urea plant back to health, wherein Spic used to be the market leader in the southern markets for many years, sources said.  The urea plant, also situated in Tuticorin, was revived in September 2010 after over three years of closure. Spic has ensured that the business does not goes out of its hand and picked Greenstar as the suitor.  According to the sources, Spic also decided to sell its pharma business in Cuddalore, which makes pencillin-g sometime back, but met with huge protest from workers and the proposal is still pending with ARCIL. ARCIL is said to have cleared one-third of the debt portion by selling assets of Spic over the last two years or so.

September 16, 2011 - Cash-strapped Southern Petrochemicals Industries Corporation (Spic) plans to sell its phosphatic (including sulphuric acid, phosphoric acid, DAP, NPK, single super phosphate and aluminium fluoride) business situated at Tuticorin, together with the business undertaking, for a consideration of not less than R300 crore to bring down its liabilities of R3,000 crore.  Interestingly, the plant was revived only in October last year after three years of closure owing of huge debt and lack of working capital, among other issues.  Asset Reconstruction Company of India (ARCIL) (debt aggregator) has decided to sell the Tuticorin plant business also to raise funds to bring down the overall liability. ACRIL took over the entire debt portion of Spic a few years ago and has been involved in selling several Spic properties, including real estate properties in TN, Mumbai and other places, non-core businesses and its stake in JVs including Spic Jordan.  Sidd Lifesciences, promoted by Spic chairman AC Muthiah’s son Ashwin Muthiah, is learnt to have been involved in the deal, thereby ensuring that the core business — Tuticorin fertiliser plant — does not slip out of promoters’ hand and at the same time ARCIL could raise funds to retire the huge debt. Sidd Lifesciences had also bought out majority shares of one of the group company Manali Petrochemicals recently to partly retire the debt owned by Spic.  According to sources, Spic also decided to sell its pharma business in Cuddalore, but met with a huge protest from workers and the proposal is still pending with ARCIL. ARCIL is also said to have cleared one-third of the debt portion by selling assets of Spic over the last two years.

September 15, 2011 - Southern Petrochemicals Industries Corporation Limited has informed the Exchange that as part of the financial restructuring of the Company the Board of Directors at its meeting held on September 14, 2011 approved the proposal for the sale of the Phosphatic (including Sulphuric Acid, Phosphoric Acid, DAP, NPK, Single Super Phosphate and Aluminium Fluoride) Business of the Company situated at Tuticorin, together with the Business Undertaking, for a consideration of not less than Rs 300 crores, (which price may be adjusted against any secured liabilities that may be transferred along with the Business Undertaking) on the terms and conditions and in the manner as deemed fit by the Board. The above proposal will be subject to the approval of the shareholders by postal ballot and other necessary approvals.

February 2, 2010 - In a bid to bring in funds to restart the closed fertiliser plant of SPIC, Asset Reconstruction Company of India (ARCIL) — the country's debt aggregator of beleaguered assets — has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to sell the 52.5% stake in Indo-Jordan Chemicals Company (IJCC), a subsidiary of Spic for around Rs 350 crore.  According to sources, the joint venture partner — Jordan Phospates Mines Company — exercised its first right of refusal and bought back the stake held by SPIC, now sold by the debt aggregator ARCIL. Repeated attempts to reach ARCIL and A C Muthiah, the chairman of SPIC, turned futile.  The sources said that the money raised from this exercise would be utilised towards restarting the fertiliser plant in Thoothukudi, in south Tamil Nadu. It is learnt that A C Muthiah-led SPIC had mandated investment banker Rabo Bank to find a suitor for the stake in IJCC and was expecting Rs 400 crore to Rs 500 crore from the sale.  SPIC had invested around Rs 165 crore as equity in the Jordanian venture, which mines rock phosphate and produces phosphoric acid.  The $170 million Indo-Jordan Chemicals Company is a joint venture between SPIC, JPMC and the Arab Investment Company (TAIC).  IJCC plant produces 700 tonnes per day (tpd) of phosphoric acid and 2000 tpd of sulphuric acid. The company also has a storage terminal at the Red Sea Port of Aqaba in Jordan. ARCIL has undertaken a massive clean up of the finances at SPIC. It has sought the auctioning of SPIC's fifteen properties to raise funds. SPIC owes its creditors close to Rs 2,900 crore.