The Belgian Interfederal Screening Committee has blocked the acquisition of NHV by GDHF announced in December of last year and accordingly the planned purchase will not now go ahead the Ostend based operator has announced.
The screening committee is tasked with reviewing investments by non-EU entities in companies active in certain activities including energy where the investment will result in the overseas investor gaining control of the company. With the buyout by Dublin based.GDHF coming on to the Committee’s radar thanks to its ownership by Great China Aviation Supplies (GDAT).
The announcement of the prospective sale by investment group Ardian prompted a wave of protest especially in certain areas of the Flemish media where the sale of what some regard as a part of the state’s national infrastructure on a par with a ‘national’ airline and the de facto flag carrier for Flanders since the demise of VLM in 2018. The question now is will Ardian seek anther buyer for NHV and among likely contenders from outside the EU which would be both interested in the buy and acceptable to the Interfederal Committee.
The word from NHV is that it operations normal with CEO Lars Henrik Thorgren commenting on the regulator’s decision on a social media posts thus “As CEO, I want to reassure our employees, customers, and partners that NHV remains a strong and independent company. Our strategy, operations, and commitments remain unchanged, and we will continue to focus on delivering safe and reliable helicopter services”.
Image: NHV
