For the state-owned mining giant LKAB, Nextjet's bankruptcy means a race against time.
Major maintenance work is currently underway and around 600 people will need to travel to and from Gällivare in the next few weeks.
”"We have a planned maintenance stop in both the mine and processing in Malmberget. It has been planned for a year," says Bo Krogvig, communications director at LKAB, to TT.
In practice, this means that operations at LKAB's mine in Malmberget outside Gällivare will be halted from May 12 to 27. During this period, LKAB will hire approximately 600 subcontractors.
”"They are specialists and experts. Many come from abroad and will be on schedule and do their work. Should the bankruptcy lead to us having to extend the maintenance shutdown, it will cost many millions every day," says Krogvig.
The bankrupt company Nextjet had Gällivare as a destination procured through the Swedish Transport Administration. And it is clear that LKAB is pressured by the situation that the company no longer flies to the town.
”"Our demand for the Swedish Transport Administration and the bankruptcy trustee is that a solution must be found quickly," says Krogvig.
How have you been doing so far?
”"Right now we are analyzing the situation and seeing what has happened. An alternative might be to fly to Kiruna, but it is twelve kilometers on a bad road."”
Source: TT
