Business

Company disputes need to sell factory to recover debt

08:33 am on 12 June 2013

A baby formula company says it doesn't believe its factory can be sold against its will, despite an engineering firm in Auckland gaining court orders to liquidate the company.

Damon Engineering says Nutricia, which makes Karicare formula, has not paid for more than $400,000 work on a factory in Mt Wellington earlier this year.

Last week, Auckland District Court ordered Nutricia to pay the money.

Damon owner Chris Barrett said the court also made a charging order allowing the factory to be sold to recover the debt.

A spokesperson for Nutricia, which is owned by Danone, a multinational corporation, said the company does not believe the order allows Damon any right of ownership or right to sell the property.

Legislation does allow the courts to sell property to recover money if such an order is in place.