Blade Technology Factory.
Will one of the inquiries mature into a concrete offer to purchase the plant? (Photo: Haaretz, Gil Eliyahu)
Cautious optimism was recorded today regarding the "Lahabim Technologies" factory in Nahariya, which is facing closure and its 900 employees who may lose their livelihood: for the first time, the American "Pratt & Whitney" company, the owner of the factory, admits that it has received inquiries from several parties in Israel who are interested in purchasing it, after stating Several times, including at the finance committee meeting (discussing the closing of the factory), which no one is interested in.
"Walla" learned that "Pratt & Whitney" representatives who visited Israel told one of the representatives of the potential buyers that, because of the Christmas holiday, inquiries would only be processed at the beginning of January.
The willingness to conduct negotiations for the sale of the factory is a change in the approach of the American company, which until now has stuck to its decision to close its doors and not sell it, so that its technology does not pass into the hands of competitors. This is after, in recent years, the factory stopped receiving orders from parallel companies in the market, such as Narl Electric" and "Rolls Royce",
Yuval Cohen, Fortissimo.
Also the foundation in the purchase photo (Photo: Fortissimo)
Out of three, one will come out
If a buyer is not found for the factory, it will be closed permanently in 2025, as the Pratt & Whitney company announced, because according to it, the type of blades produced by "Blade Technologies" is no longer needed for use in the new jet engines and it cannot be converted to create other types of blades.
Three companies are currently interested in purchasing "Lehabim Technology" and have officially contacted the company to receive preliminary data:
Fortissimo Fund
, managed by Yuval Cohen, which is considered one of the most prominent private investment funds in Israel and manages assets worth $2.6 billion, invests mainly in technology and industrial companies in Israel and abroad Therefore, the purchase of "Blade Technology" fits into the core of its business.
Another group of investors from China,
represented by the former Minister of the Economy, Shalom Simhon, is also interested in purchasing the plant, but it is doubtful whether the State of Israel would have an interest in selling the military know-how to a Chinese entity.
For those who have past experience in doing business with "Pratt & Whitney", and purchased two factories that it owned in the past, it is
the Fimi
Fund, the largest investment fund in Israel, founded in 1996 by Yishai Davidi, managing $7 billion and investing in about 100 companies so far.
She is the one who created "Beit Shemesh Motors" which was owned by a subsidiary of "Pratt & Whitney" (which brought the factory to the brink of collapse) and created it and in 2018 purchased from it the failed "Carmel Forgings" company and merged it with Beit Shemesh Motors.
The activity of Lahabim Technology will complement the activity of Keren Fimi in the field of aircraft engines.
good to know (in advance)
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Served on behalf of Shachel
Amir Peretz, Chairman of the Aerospace Industry. Will he join those interested in the purchase? (Photo: Flash 90, Shira Diamant)
Also the aerospace industry?
The Chairman of the Air Industry, Amir Peretz, former Secretary General of the Histadrut, is scheduled to meet in the coming days with an official involved in the operation of the plant, to make a decision on whether to enter into negotiations on the purchase of the plant and leave its technology in Israeli hands.
Pratt & Whitney said In response
: "Part & Whitney has not yet received a concrete offer for the purchase.
References that they offered and included initial interest, will be examined by the company and will be discussed directly with the applicants."
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Dismissal
Israel Aerospace Industries
fortissimo
Fimi Foundation