Amsterdam municipality starts new sales process for AEB

The municipality of Amsterdam announced today that it will start a new sales process for AEB, with the exception of the waste separation plant. AEB director Michel Frequin is pleased that the council has taken a proposed decision so quickly. "This provides clarity and perspective for the future. In the previous decision to sell, we indicated that we were looking for a reliable, capital-rich shareholder with a vision of sustainable waste processing and knowledge and expertise of the market. This position has not changed and we are pleased that the municipality still shares this vision."

The announcement by the municipal Board comes a week after The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) decided not to give a green light for a takeover by Dutch waste processor AVR. This meant that the sale to AVR could not go ahead. AEB was disappointed about this. Frequin: "We expressed our confidence in a sensible outcome and asked the municipality to provide clarity as soon as possible. We are therefore pleased with this quick decision."

The municipality says it does not want to sell the separation plant, but wants to keep it itself. AEB has taken note of this decision. Frequin: "Soon a joint AEB and municipality working group will be started."

The board will submit the proposed decision to the city council for wishes and objections. A letter to the city council emphasizes that if the college definitively decides to sell, radio silence will be in effect during the sales process because of the major financial interests. Frequin said, "We have every confidence in the process and an outcome that is in the best interest of our customers, employees and all other parties involved with AEB."