Metal Partners International

DEBTORS AND THEIR BUSINESSES

The Debtors include the following companies that provide residential, commercial, and institutional construction rebar fabrication and distribution:

• Metal Partners Rebar, LLC;
• BGD LV Holding, LLC;
• BRG Holding, LLC; and
• BCG Ownco, LLC.

These companies all operate under the “dba” (doing business as) name Metal Partners International. Together, the companies are “one of the largest independently owned fabricators of reinforcing bars and other steel products in the United States. Founded in 2008, the Debtors supply steel and epoxy coated rebar, wire mesh and dowel bars with custom fabrication and value-added services to a diverse customer base that includes large national construction firms as well as regional firms such as construction suppliers, pre-casters, contactors and other fabricators.” This information comes from the Debtors’ First Day Declaration of Joseph Tedesco, Chief Financial Officer, filed in the bankruptcy case at docket number 11. The Declaration is available publicly. Reach out to us and we can provide you with a copy for free.

VITAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION IS YET TO BE FILED

The Debtors indicated on their voluntary Petitions for bankruptcy protection that they do not believe that they will have sufficient cash flow to pay unsecured creditors anything through their bankruptcy proceeding. They have around $34.3 million in secured debt and $41.6 million in unsecured debt.

It will likely be July before the Debtors provide detailed financial information. July 23rd is currently set for a debtors’ exam, known in bankruptcy as a Section 341(a) meeting of creditors. At this exam, creditors can attend themselves or through counsel and ask the Debtors virtually anything about their finances, why they are in bankruptcy, and how they plan to repay creditors.

Questions creditors should ask include:

1. Debtors’ substantial $50,000 per month management fee.
2. Details about Debtors’ relationships with non-debtor affiliated companies, including F&M Transportation and International Rebar.
3. Why the Debtors own property in California that is currently vacant, while they lease other spaces for their operations.

THE CASE SEEMS TO BE AN ATTEMPT TO SHED UNSECURED DEBT AND BENEFIT INSIDERS

In the First Day Declaration, the Debtors’ CEO discloses that the Debtors intend to sell all of their assets through bankruptcy. He also discloses that the Debtors have received a “Stalking Horse Bid” from a company that is controlled by the Debtors’ current manager, Jose Carrero.

Mr. Carrero not only controls all of the Debtors, but he also owns International Rebar, the company to which the Debtors pay a $25,000 bi-weekly management fee. At this point, we do not know what other benefits Mr. Carrero receives from the Debtors, but creditors should be suspicious that some of the exorbitant salary, benefit, and car allowance payments go to him as well.

The bankruptcy process is not designed for a manager to deliver control of his companies back to himself while giving no value to creditors. Unsecured creditors should fight this proposed “asset sale.” Unsecured creditors should demand a Committee of Unsecured Creditors be formed to question the Debtors, challenge the outrageous insider compensation, and recover funds that rightfully belong to the trade vendors who worked with the Debtors in good faith.