Introduction
On April 29, 2015, the boards of directors of the Belgian company Viohalco S.A. (Viohalco) and the Greek company Sidenor Holdings S.A. (Sidenor Holdings), both holding companies with no production activity, elected the merger of the two companies as the most appropriate technical solution for strengthening the capital structure of the steel producing companies and plants of Sidenor Holdings located in Greece, and for supporting them on an ongoing basis through better access to the international capital and money markets, which such streamlined corporate structure will help ensure.
The merger addresses the need for an immediate aid to, and a long-term financial support through injections of capital raised outside Greece into Sidenor Holdings steel producing companies and plants in Thessaloniki and Almyros, Magnisia.
The completion of the merger is subject to the approval of the General Meetings of Shareholders of the two companies and the fulfillment of all legal formalities. The whole process is expected to be concluded within July 2015.