Sale of remaining Gunns assets, including 96,850 hectares of Tasmanian hardwood and softwood plantations, attracting strong global interest, says receiver, selects six parties after assessing indicative bids with final bids due by March 31

Wendy Lisney

PERTH, Australia , January 14, 2014 (AAP Australian Financial News) – The receivers for failed forestry business Gunns have attracted strong interest from parties eager to build a controversial pulp mill in Tasmania.

Receivers KordaMentha said six parties had made it through to the due diligence stage of the sale process after it assessed indicative bids.

"Some of the parties in the final six are interested in the pulp mill opportunity while others are only interested in the wood-chipping business and associated assets," KordaMentha said in a statement.

There was interest from across the globe, including the Asia Pacific region, Europe and the Americas, the receivers said.

Two Gunns sawmills and a range of equipment have already been offloaded by the receivers but the key remaining assets include several forestry businesses and 96,850 hectares of hardwood and softwood plantations.

Tasmanian Premier Lara Giddings is hopeful a pulp mill can still be built.

Gunns' inability to attract an investor partner to build the $2.3 billion pulp mill at Bell Bay in the state's north was considered a major factor in the company's collapse last year.

The mill has also attracted fierce opposition from environmentalists and its permit is likely to still be subject to a court challenge by the Tasmanian Conservation Trust.

KordaMentha expects final bids to be received by March 31.

AAP krc/gfr

(c) 2014 Australian Associated Press

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