Page 53 - Glass Machinery Plants & Accessories no. 5/2017
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OSHAS 18001:2007, which are       lations or technologies for the   ratio of 2.5 at the prior year end.
            certified by independent entities   production process, management    The core of the financing
            accrediting the existence of an   initiatives include the continual   structure is a long-term syndi-
            internationally recognised man-   and specialised search for supply   cated loan signed on 13 March
            agement framework.                sources and strengthening ties   2015 with a consortium of nine
               With a specific view to prevent-  with suppliers, diversifying and   financial institutions, for an origi-
            ing labour-related accidents, and   forging long-term relationships,   nal amount of EUR 465 mil-
            more importantly, to improving    establishing ongoing audit and   lion. After a second novation of
            health in the workplace, Vidrala   standardisation processes and   the loan terms was signed in
            implements specific and system-    developing supply alternatives in   November 2016, the applicable
            atic ongoing staff training and   all relevant areas.              interest rate on the loan in 2017
            awareness plans. The sustain-       Steps taken to address cus-    will be a variable rate pegged to
            ability report, attached to this   tomer service and product qual-  Euribor plus a spread of 1 per
            report, details the progress of   ity risks include the development   cent, reviewed on an annual basis
            occupational health and safety    of a specific departmental area   by tranche based on the evolu-
            management indicators. These      separated from the rest of the   tion of the net debt/consolidated
            plans are developed and distrib-  organisational areas dedicated   EBITDA ratio. The due date of
            uted among all agents involved in   exclusively to quality. There is a   the loan has been extended to 13
            the organisation, allowing health   specific investment project near-  September 2022, and is gradu-
            and safety trends to be objectively   ing completion that aims to guar-  ally repayable from 13 March
            measured and documented, and      antee product quality targets and   2019. Consequently, in 2017,
            enabling the actual effectiveness   optimise product quality control   the loan will be in a grace period,
            of the processes and controls     through the implementation of    with no obligation to repay the
            implemented to be observed, and   state of the art technology across   principal. O
            whether additional corrective     all the Group’s facilities.
            measures are needed.                Concerning inventory risk, the
                                              Group systematically carries out
            THE SUPPLY CHAIN                  a specific and periodic controls
            AND ITS RISKS                     to ensure the quality of finished
               Production-intensive, contin-  products in the warehouse, and
            uous-service industries such as   optimise ageing and rotation so
            Vidrala’s can be vulnerable to    that both the volume and value
            risks of distortion in the supply   of stocks are balanced to sales
            chain.                            forecasts. These controls have
               As regards supply risk affecting   resulted in the implementation
            key products, materials, instal-  of automated stock monitoring
                                              processes and the subsequent
                                              application of specific adaptation,
                                              physical and valuation measures,
                                              which in 2016 are giving rise
                                              to inventory impairment adjust-
                                              ments in the income statement.

                                              DEBT AND SOLVENCY
                                                At 31 December 2016, the
                                              Vidrala Group had consolidated
                                              net financial debt of EUR 322.3        VIDRALA GROUP
                                              million, having reduced indebt-
                                              edness by EUR 82 million, or             Headquarters
                                              20.3 per cent, during the year.              Barrio Munegazo 22
                                              The financial solvency indica-             01400 Llodio - Alava - Spain
                                              tors at the reporting date reflect           Tel.: +34-946-719714
                                              a debt equivalent to 1.9 times               Fax: +34-946-719764
                                              accumulated EBITDA for the last        E-Mail: secretaria.direccion@vidrala.com
                                              12 months, representing a finan-              www.vidrala.com
                                              cial deleveraging compared to the




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