“We’ve closed our first deal with a supplier for the first cargoes of 10,000 tonnes of raw materials and 20,000 more planned,” he said. “As soon it arrives in Liepāja, we can begin production. We’re keeping up preparations for relaunch after taking over the assets and registering our ownership so that now we may begin signing contracts with former employees,” Kovalyenko claimed.
The process will continue in the coming weeks, he went on, as new specialists are also recruited to the company’s fold as necessary. “We’ve got the list of potential recruits according to the specialty required, but their hiring can only happen gradually as the plant begins filling its first orders and taking up the production speed as necessary,” the company leader added.
The Ukrainian company KVV Group signed the contract to take over the mothballed steel-maker on October 2, 2014, promising to pay over €107m into its prime production facility in the next ten year period. However, its plans to begin work at the plant by December fizzled as paperwork dragged on and deadlines were set back by a month.