Singapore-listed heavy equipment supplier, Hoe Leong, said it received a statuary demand from a law firm acting on behalf of UOB, seeking payment of about 5.7 million Singapore dollars.

The statutory demand, issued by law firm Allen & Gledhill on behalf of UOB, seeks payment within 21 days from the date of receipt. The payment relates to a loan borrowed by logistics firm Arkstar Voyager, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hoe Leong which is also its guarantor.

Whilst Hoe Leong had said in July that a letter of demand from UOB would not affect the group’s business, it said this week that «with the statutory demand from UOB, the company is unable to reasonably assess its financial position» 

«The company is presently seeking legal advice and is engaging with UOB to remedy the situation,» it added.

Voluntary Trading Suspension

Hoe Leong’s board made a voluntary request to suspend the trading of its shares «with immediate effect, pending resolution of the situation».

It assured investors that it currently has sufficient funds in its UOB account to settle outstanding payments up to August 31, 2019. It added that the group’s viability was dependent on continued support from creditors and adequate cash flow generation to repay debt obligations due in the next 12 months, barring any material external headwinds.