Last week, several interested parties submitted binding bids for Northvolt's bankrupt estate, with bidders expected from Europe, North America, Asia, and specifically India. The interest encompasses both the Skellefteå factory and Northvolt Labs.
Bankruptcy administrator Mikael Kubu is currently reviewing the bids, remaining tight-lipped about the process. He states the bids are evaluated under bankruptcy law, prioritising the most advantageous offer for creditors, but also factoring in risk.
However, he would not specify a timeline for a deal's completion, nor did he explain why he emailed 3,000 former employees regarding their right to re-employment under a potential new owner.
– A questionnaire has gone out asking if you're interested in returning to work. I can definitely see myself starting over and working there, a former employee tells Norran.
Norran spoke with several former employees, most of whom expressed positivity:
– I'm prepared to take both permanent and temporary employment, says one of them.
Others have already moved on and found new jobs.
– I didn't even respond to the survey, says a source who quit during last autumn's turbulence.
Former staff now have until July 27 to respond to the bankruptcy administrator's inquiry. However, Mikael Kubu would not specify what impact access to personnel has on a potential sale, citing the sensitive stage of the sales process.
– As soon as I can answer without jeopardising the sales process, I will of course do so, he writes in a text message to Norran.