A-TEC: Norddeutsche plans cap hike for Cumerio-report

VIENNA Jan 15 (Reuters) - Norddeutsche Affinerie (NAFG.DE) plans a 200 million euro capital hike to fund its takeover of Belgian Cumerio CUMR.BR, the head of A-TEC Industries (ATEC.VI) told daily Standard, citing financial sources.

In 2007, Norddeutsche raised around 100 million euros ($149 million) to fund the acquisition of the Belgian copper smelter in which it says it now holds 30 percent.

"And now I am hearing from financial sources that another capital increase of around 200 million euros is coming to finance the Cumerio acquisition," said Kovats, who said in December he wants to up his stake in Germany's Norddeutsche Affinerie to around 20 percent from roughly 14 percent.

A-TEC holds a 25.1 percent blocking minority in Cumerio, for which Norddeutsche launched a 777 million-euro cash bid in June.

A spokeswoman for Norddeutsche said a capital increase was only one possibility.

"Another option would be to finance through debt," the spokeswoman told Reuters, adding no decision had been made by which means or how much would need to be raised.

"This would also depend on how many Cumerio shares we can get," she said.

In the interview with Standard, Kovats also said he had the financing in place to up its stake in Norddeutsche Affinerie and to acquire Serb copper complex RTB Bor.

"The financing for RTB Bor is all set up, we are already in the midst of talks, though there are still a lot of open questions," Kovats told the daily. "Financing to up our stake in Norddeutsche Affinerie is also in place."

On Monday, A-TEC said it planned to sell its production facility for oxygen-free copper at its Brixlegg site as soon as possible to soothe concerns from the German cartel office it would gain a market-dominating position in the industry.

A-TEC added it would be ready to sell the whole foundry operation at its Brixlegg site if necessary. (Reporting by Karin Strohecker in Vienna and Jan Schwartz in Hamburg)