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Seoul - South Korea -- General Motors Corporation, Daewoo Motor Company, and the Korea Development Bank, acting on behalf of the Daewoo Motor Creditors Committee, today signed final definitive agreements for the establishment of a new company. GM, certain of its business partners and the creditors will be the stockholders in the new company.
The new company would have annual revenues of about $5 billion and would own and operate selected domestic and foreign assets of Daewoo Motor Co. The transaction is expected to close within two to three months, pending court and government approvals. Daewoo will continue to manage and operate its businesses until closing.
"This is an important day for GM and Daewoo Motor," said Chairman John F. Smith, Jr. "GM's investment in this new company allows us to participate in the important South Korean market, and share in the benefits associated with Daewoo's outstanding product development and manufacturing capabilities. GM with its extensive research and development and technological resources will further grow and develop these capabilities to world class levels. This enterprise will produce a new generation of cost competitive vehicles that can be marketed around the world."
"Today's agreements represent a significant milestone for the corporate restructuring Korea has continuously implemented. These agreements not only help stabilize employment, but they also contribute to the revitalization of the regional economy," said Jung Keun-yong, governor of the Korean Development Bank. "With the further development of the Korean auto industry and the enhancement of our international credibility, the signing of these agreements will provide a powerful boost for the Korean economy."
Additionally, Daewoo Motor Chairman Lee Jong-dae said, "I am grateful to GM for its final decision to participate in the formation of this new company. I'm especially pleased that we were able to provide stable employment for our 15,000 family members and a future for our 500 parts suppliers."
GM will have a 42 percent stake in the new company, which has yet to be named. Daewoo creditors will hold a 33 percent stake. Certain of GM's business partners will share the remaining 25 percent equity interest.
The basic framework for the definitive agreement includes the following:
- The new company will be capitalized through cash contributions of $400 million from GM and its participating business partners, and $197 million from Daewoo creditors for ownership stakes equaling 67 percent and 33 percent respectively.
- In return for the creditors contributing selected Daewoo automotive assets, the new company will issue to the creditors a long-term redeemable preferred equity with a face value of $1.2 billion and an average annual coupon rate of 3.5 percent. The new company will also assume $573 million of primarily operating liabilities.
- The assets to be contributed to the new company include a total of nine sales subsidiaries and three manufacturing plants. The sales subsidiaries include those in Austria, the Benelux countries, France, Germany, Italy, Puerto Rico, Spain, Switzerland, plus Daewoo's European parts operations in the Netherlands. The manufacturing plants are located in Changwon and Kunsan, South Korea, and the automobile operations in Hanoi, Vietnam called VIDAMCO.
- The manufacturing facility in Bupyong, South Korea, will remain open and continue to supply the new company with vehicles, engines, transmissions and components for at least six years. The agreement includes specific terms for the future acquisition of the Bupyong facility within this period if the plant meets certain criteria, such as two-shift production, productivity improvement averaging at least 4 percent annually, ability to meet product quality standards and GM's standard for lost working hours due to labor disputes.
- The new company will continue to use the Daewoo brand in Korea, in countries where overseas subsidiaries are acquired such as those in Western Europe and in certain countries where independent distributors exist. In addition, Daewoo products will be exported to new markets, such as Mexico and use established GM or GM-affiliated brands.
- Long-term committed working capital facilities of U.S. $2 billion will be provided to the new company by the South Korean creditors.
- Provisions will be made to ensure that Daewoo's existing customer warranty obligations are satisfied following completion of the transaction.
- For those overseas manufacturing facilities of Daewoo Motor Co. that are not being acquired by the new company, several will continue to be supplied parts, components and technical assistance from the new company for a period of time.
- Many of the existing sales subsidiaries in Western Europe will be acquired by the new company. In the UK, the sales subsidiaries will not be acquired and it is intended that a new sales operation be created. The distribution set-up in other European markets, which has been handled by independent importers in many markets, will be reviewed. It is intended that the new company will establish a European Operations Center to direct and coordinate its business in Europe.
- Nick Reilly will serve as president and chief executive officer of the new company. In the interim, a transition team consisting of the Daewoo management, and management personnel from GM and its business partners will be appointed to ensure a successful startup after closing.
- Employment levels in Korea will be maintained at current levels.
- Other assets and subsidiaries not included as part of the definitive agreement will be the responsibility of the existing Daewoo Motor Company.
GM, Daewoo Motor Company and the Daewoo Motor Creditors Committee began formal negotiations in May 2001 following more than six months of evaluation and business plan development. The three sides signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding in September outlining the framework for the negotiation of a definitive agreement.
* Additional information about this transaction can be found at [media.gm.com] .
Editor's Note:
General Motors and Daewoo Motor Company have scheduled a news conference for 2:00 p.m. Korea Standard Time, Tuesday, April 30, 2002 at the Seoul Hilton in South Korea.
The press conference will be webcast live and archived. Access the webcast via a hotlink at GM Media OnLine ( [media.gm.com] ) or directly at [webevents.broadcast.com] .
Contacts:
General Motors, 018-325-9273
Daewoo Motor Company, 728-7392~5
Korea Development Bank, 787-6816
Vir: Daewoo Slovenija
