CThe information
communicated within this announcement is deemed to constitute
inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations
(EU) No. 596/2014 which is part of UK law by virtue of the European
Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018. Upon the publication of this
announcement, this information is considered to be in the public
domain.
31 July 2024
Tirupati Graphite
plc
('Tirupati', 'TG', the 'Group' or the 'Company')
CLN Interest and Trading
Update
Tirupati Graphite (TGR.L), the
specialist flake graphite company and supplier of the critical
mineral for the global energy transition, announces a Company
update detailing its current trading, operations and financial
position, and the evolving flake graphite market
dynamics.
H1 2024 interest on Convertible Loan
Notes ("CLN")
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The Company has initiated payments
of interest for the period ended 30 June 2024 on the Convertible
Loan Notes as per the register of noteholders as at 30 June
2024.
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While the Company has transfer
details for payment of interest for most of the noteholders from
previous payments, and notes that there have been no changes in the
register during the period, it is reaching out to the noteholders
whose details are not available with the Company.
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·
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The Company requests its noteholders
to provide holding details by email to admin@tirupatigraphite.co.uk
if their interest payment is not received within 1
business day.
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Financing and Financial
position
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The Company continues to work on
financing activities, making steady progress in its efforts as
detailed in its 4 July 2024 RNS.
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Discussions have centred around
strategic financing arrangements with groups particularly
interested in the long-term objectvies of the Company as announced
on 10 July 2024.
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The Board will continue to accrue
their remuneration and fees with cash resources directed into
operations until a funding solution is reached.
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The Directors have provided the
Company with cash loans of a sum of GBP 230,000 to meet the interim
financing gap with a 12 month term and at an interest rate of 12%
per annum.
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In the meantime, the Company remains
engaged with its creditors until the financing arrangements are
completed.
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The Company continues to hold over
$2m in VAT receivables in Madagascar, and over $1m VAT receivables
in Mozambique which it is continuing to pursue the payment
of.
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Operations
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The Company has consolidated its
resources over the past quarter and this month so as to align and
streamline its operations.
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Operations remained intermittent
since April 2024, with production suspended for most of the time,
though the Company continued to make shipments and received
payments for goods shipped and continued various other activities
including those related to environment and community engagement as
it consolidated its position.
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The Company is directing all
resources for the efficient operation of one of its two projects in
Madagascar, namely the Vatomina project, and is targeting
production and sales equivalent to its current capacity of 8,000
tons per annum in light of the 3% head grade achieved, moving
forward with immediate effect.
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The Sahamamy project will be kept in
care and maintenance pending completion of financing arrangements
at an estimated monthly cost of c.US$30,000 thus reducing the
overall cost base of the Company and allowing for the efficient
utilisation of resources at Vatomina.
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This is expected to facilitate the
Company to meet its operational costs while funding arrangements
are being negotiated.
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The Company has realigned its
orderbook from the month of August, shipping to customers that
either prepay or pay against shipment of goods to better manage
working capital.
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This is achieved with continued tail
winds supportive of the few current commercial non-Chinese flake
graphite sources globally such as the Company.
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Tirupati Graphite plc confirms that
50% or more of our revenues are derived from the Tier 1 and/or Tier
2 micro sectors of the FTSE Russell's Green Revenues Classification
System.
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Shishir Poddar, CEO and Managing Director,
commented:
"We continue to take appropriate decisions to navigate through
the current difficult environment for the Company and prepare
ourselves to capitalise further on the significant emerging
opportunities presented by the critical and growing role flake
graphite is set to play in the energy transition
economy."
ENDS
For further information, please
visit https://www.tirupatigraphite.co.uk/ or
contact:
Tirupati Graphite Plc
Puruvi Poddar - Joint Managing
Director
|
admin@tirupatigraphite.co.uk
+44 (0) 20 39849894
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CMC
Markets UK Plc (Broker)
Douglas Crippen
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+44 (0)20 3003 8632
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Musst / ViTa-Connect (Financial Adviser)
Tabrez Khan
|
tabrez@vita-connect.co
+44 746 903 3573
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FTI
Consulting (Financial PR)
Ben Brewerton / Nick Hennis / Lucy
Wigney
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+44 (0) 20 3727 1000
tirupati@fticonsulting.com
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About Tirupati Graphite
Tirupati Graphite Plc is a
specialist Graphite producer and a supplier of the critical mineral
for a decarbonised economy and the energy transition. The Company
places a special emphasis on green applications including renewable
energy, e-mobility, energy storage and thermal management, and is
committed to ensuring its operations are
sustainable.
The Company's operations include
primary mining and processing in Madagascar where the Company
operates two key projects, Sahamamy and Vatomina with a combined
30,000 tpa of currently installed capacity, producing high-quality
flake graphite concentrate with up to 97% purity and selling to
customers globally.
The Company also holds two advanced
stage, world class, natural graphite projects in Mozambique. Work
has already commenced to optimise the economics for development of
the Montepuez graphite project, which is permitted for 100,000tpa
production and where substantial construction work has already been
undertaken by the predecessor. A table of the Company's projects is
provided below:
Country
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Project
|
Stage
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Madagascar
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Sahamamy
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In production: 18,000tpa
capacity
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Madagascar
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Vatomina
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In production: 12,000tpa
capacity
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Mozambique
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Montepuez
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100,000tpa permitted,
development-initiated
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Mozambique
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Balama Central
|
58,000tpa permitted,
development-ready
|