New Zealand

Overseas buyers are lining up to take control of one of the largest online exporters of NZ-made consumer goods after the company was tipped into liquidation, Business Day reported. New Zealand Global Ltd, which sells a wide range of locally made products to consumers around the world via its shopnewzealand.co.nz website, has been put on the market by liquidator Gareth Hoole of Staples Rodway, who said he hoped to have a sale finalised as early as this week. Hoole said a number of potential buyers had shown interest in the business and most were based in China or Malaysia.

Creditors of Rolleston-based bus-maker Design Line were successful in placing the company into liquidation today, The National Business Review reported. Two creditors – Lyasight and ENI Engineering –advertised the liquidation petitions. The company had obtained several delays to allow it time to find purchasers but to no avail. The overall debt is estimated as around $10 million. The company makes buses that are used in many countries. It employs about 500 people.

Workers at Whitcoulls and Borders bookstores have been forced to sign new contracts under duress, unions say. New Zealand-owned James Pascoe Group bought 57 Whitcoulls and five Borders stores for an undisclosed sum last week after the Australian-based owner REDgroup put itself into voluntary administration in February, Radio New Zealand reported. James Pascoe Group is a retail business owned by David and Anne Norman that employs 9000 staff throughout New Zealand and Australia.

Each new twist in Terry Serepisos' tortuous financial affairs could be putting his chances of a US$100 million rescue package at risk, Business Day reported. Two companies owned by Mr Serepisos were put into receivership yesterday, owing about $13m. Documents relating to bankruptcy action taken against him by FM Custodians, heard in the High Court at Wellington this month, suggest that a US$100m loan negotiated with Western Gulf Advisory can be altered whenever his financial circumstances change.

Self-described real estate king Don Ha is back running his former real estate and property management company that tipped into receivership in March, with $7 million in debt owed to Kiwibank, BusinessDay reported. Top One - a company owned by his family and friends and which he is a director of - were the successful bidders for buying the Manukau real estate agency from the receivers for $1.35m and it is now thought to be operating under the Rental One brand.

South Canterbury Finance receivers have announced the sale of subsidiary Face Finance to GE Capital. A statement issued by McGrathNicol did not disclose a price, but said the acquisition involved "over $100 million of commercial loan book assets", The National Business Review reported. At the time of receivership South Canterbury had advanced $196.84 million to Face. A purchase price was not disclosed, but according to the receivers first report Face had a loan book totalling $205.4 million, with $8.5 million impairments.

The Norman family are said to be close to clinching a deal to buy the Whitcoulls bookstore chain but have had to rethink part of the sales agreement. Whitcoulls, owned by REDgroup Retail, was put into voluntary administration in February and in March was being marketed for sale. BusinessDay understands the deal was close to being wrapped up but may stall over possibly one or more conditions. Sydney-based administrator Ferrier Hodgson would not comment on progress.

Credit checking agency Veda Advantage is applauding proposed changes to the Credit Reporting Privacy Code, under which a person's repayment history on credit cards, mortgage payments, and other types of credit could be included in credit reports, The National Business Review reported. Only externally regulated credit providers including banks, telcos, utilities and registered insurers would have access to the data.

Jean Jones' receiver says a sale of the national women's clothing chain could be finalised within days, BusinessDay reported. The company, which has 10 stores throughout the country, down from a peak of 20, was placed in receivership last October owing creditors about $2.9 million. Receiver Murray Frost said a conditional deal for the sale of the company had been reached and an unconditional agreement was expected within days. Mr Frost said he had been negotiating with the party for about three months. Initially about eight prospective buyers had expressed interest in the chain.

Beleaguered Bridgecorp investors could soon get their first distribution from the failed property lender's receivers, nearly four years after the company collapsed, The New Zealand Herald reported. PricewaterhouseCoopers partner and Bridgecorp receiver Colin McCloy said the receivers hoped to shortly resolve the Inland Revenue Department's claims and would then be in a position to make a distribution to Bridgecorp's more than 14,000 secured debenture holders.