The operation, detailed by attorney Paulo Valério, encompasses “the building, machinery, and equipment, in an integrated package,” and is set to be awarded to “the highest bidder” for the factory located in the municipality of Constância, district of Santarém.
The sale of the manufacturing unit, which has operated in the parish of Montalvo since 1980, will be managed by KPMG and is expected to commence “in the coming weeks,” indicated the official.
“The sale process will be promoted by KPMG, hired for this purpose by the insolvent estate, involving the sale of the company as a whole,” explained Paulo Valério, adding that the method will be via “sealed bids, to be opened in the presence of the Judicial Administrator.”
The attorney mentioned that a minimum transaction value of 10 million euros has been set.
“The factory must be awarded to the bidder who submits the highest proposal, provided it complies with conditions to be established, such as any required guarantee and timeline for finalizing the deed,” he stated.
The industrial complex is valued at 8.59 million euros, according to updated figures provided to Lusa.
The movable assets are valued at 3.9 million euros, the immovable assets at 4.67 million euros, and the rustic fraction at 12 thousand euros.
Regarding labor debts, Paulo Valério confirmed that approximately 200 unemployed workers stand as the largest creditors in this process.
“The debt to the workers is 9.074 million euros,” he said, adding that about one-third of the amount “was already settled by the Wage Guarantee Fund last month,” a situation confirmed to Lusa by workers and the municipality president, who has closely monitored the process.
“It is a right that workers have, providing some support during this difficult phase, while the sale process of the Montalvo factory continues,” stated Sérgio Oliveira, noting that “only through the sale of these assets can they receive the compensations they are entitled to.”
The total recognized liabilities amount to 11.47 million euros, with the Creditors’ Committee hoping that the sale proceeds will allow “full coverage of the workers’ claims,” although this will depend “on the proposals actually submitted.”
Simultaneously, the collection of international debts within the Tupperware group is underway.
“There is also an effort to collect debts from international companies within the Tupperware group, particularly in Ireland and Switzerland, amounting to over 15 million euros,” he confirmed.
The future of the factory remains uncertain, potentially continuing industrial operations in the same sector. However, the production of Tupperware brand items is not guaranteed.
“The specific production of Tupperware products would depend on the ownership of a license for this purpose, which is not in place,” warned the attorney.
Nevertheless, “nothing prevents a potential buyer of the factory from negotiating with the holders of the brand’s industrial property rights to obtain such a license in the future.”
The Montalvo factory, which once employed about 260 workers, ceased production in January and was declared insolvent on February 10, following the withdrawal of production and commercialization licenses for the Tupperware brand in Portugal.
The Tupperware factory in Montalvo was controlled by Tupperware Indústria Lusitana de Artigos Domésticos, which was 74% owned by Tupperware Portugal – Artigos Domésticos Unipessoal Lda and 26% owned by Tupperware Iberia.
