Ledina Kerámia was created by Zsolnay’s minority owner Pécs Council, to take over operations from Zsolnay in the event that it is liquidated pursuant to the Hungarian Development Bank (MFB) canceling the HUF 413 million loan provided to Zsolnay in the event that the company fails to comply with the repayment schedule of less than two weeks.

The council of Pécs believes the liquidation is inevitable and the staff is transferring to the new company to save a heritage of a company that spans more than one and a half centuries, MTI reported. 

Porcelain maker Zsolnay Porcelánmanufaktúra said on June 3 that it is suing state-owned Hungarian Development Bank (MFB) for the cancellation of its loan, according to Hungarian news agency MTI.

According to earlier reports, the local council of Pécs had already set up Ledina Kerámia to take over the operation of the porcelain manufacturer in the event that it is liquidated.

Najari, a Syrian-born businessman who acquired a 74.5% majority stake in the company from now minority owner Pécs local council in 2013, in a statement earlier aired concerns about what he believes could be an “intended hostile takeover” supported by “representatives of the minority owner”. 

Following this statement, the majority owner announced at a general meeting that he had initiated the squeeze-out of the companyʼs minority owner.