December 7, 2023

Hindenburg fallout: Adani Group suspends work on Rs 34,900 crore petrochemical project


NEW DELHI: Adani Group has suspended work on a Rs 34,900 crore petrochemical project at Mundra in Gujarat because it focuses on assets to consolidate operations and cope with investor issues following a damning document by means of a US-based brief supplier, assets mentioned.
The staff’s flagship Adani Enterprises Ltd (AEL) had in 2021 integrated a wholly-owned subsidiary, Mundra Petrochem Ltd for putting in a greenfield coal-to-PVC plant at Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) land in Kutch district of Gujarat.
But after Hindenburg Research’s January 24 document alleging accounting fraud, inventory manipulations and different company governance lapses chopped off about $140 billion from the marketplace price of Gautam Adani’s empire, the apples-to-airport staff is hoping to claw again and calm jittery buyers and lenders via a comeback technique.
The comeback technique is founded on addressing investor issues round debt by means of repaying some loans, consolidating operations, and combating off allegations.
The staff has denied all allegations levelled by means of Hindenburg. As a part of this, initiatives are being re-evaluated founded on cashflow and finance to be had.
And of the initiatives the gang has made up our minds to not pursue in the intervening time is the 1 million tonne consistent with annum Green PVC project, two assets with wisdom of the subject mentioned.
The staff has shot off mails to distributors and providers to “suspend all activities” on rapid foundation.
In the mails, observed by means of PTI, the gang has requested them to “suspend all activities of the scope of work and performance of all obligations” for Mundra Petrochem Ltd’s Green PVC project “till further notice.”
This is the next “unforeseen scenario”. The control, it mentioned, used to be “re-evaluating various project/s being implemented at group level in different business verticals. Based on future cashflow and finance, some of the project/s are being re-evaluated for its continuation and revision in timeline.”
Reached for feedback, a gaggle spokesperson mentioned AEL will likely be comparing the standing of expansion initiatives in number one trade vertical over the approaching months.
“The balance sheet of each of our independent portfolio companies is very strong. We have industry-leading project development and execution capabilities, strong corporate governance, secure assets, strong cashflows, and our business plan is fully funded. We remain focused on executing our previously outlined strategy to create value for our stakeholders,” the spokesperson mentioned.
“AEL will be evaluating the status of growth projects in the primary industry vertical over the coming months”.
The unit used to be to have a poly-vinyl-chloride (PVC) manufacturing capability of two,000 KTPA (kilo tonne consistent with annum) requiring 3.1 million tonne consistent with annum (MTPA) of coal that used to be to be imported from Australia, Russia and different nations.
PVC is the sector’s third-most broadly produced artificial polymer of plastic. It reveals extensive packages – from floor, to creating sewage pipes and different pipe packages, in insulation on electric wires, packaging and manufacture of aprons and so forth.
Adani Group had deliberate the project as PVC call for in India at round 3.5 MTPA used to be rising on the charge of seven consistent with cent year-on-year. With close to stagnant home manufacturing of PVC at 1.4 million tonne, India depends on imports to stay tempo with the call for.
The Hindenburg document had alleged “brazen stock manipulation and accounting fraud” and use of offshore shell corporations to inflate inventory costs. The staff has denied all Hindenburg allegations, calling them “malicious”, “baseless” and a “calculated attack on India”.
As a part of the comeback technique, the gang has cancelled a Rs 7,000 crore coal plant acquire in addition to shelved plans to bid for stake in energy dealer PTC to preserve bills. It has repaid some debt and pre-paid one of the vital price range raised by means of pledging promoter stake in staff corporations.