(IDEX Online) - Peter Meeus, the former managing director of HRD Antwerp, has put in a second bid for the diamond lab after his first offer was rejected.
Meeus submitted his bid through a Letter of Intent (LOI) that he said complies with the terms originally communicated by the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) and matches the asking price and conditions. This includes the purchase of a 51-percent stake in the lab for the communicated asking price and that AWDC as holder of the intellectual property would procure the transfer of the HRD Brand after expiration of 15 years during which a royalty would be paid by the purchaser.
Meeus said in a release that through his company PME Consulting, Meeus has developed a business plan allowing HRD to grow its business.
Among his aims, he said he intends to position the lab to promote Antwerp as the diamond center of excellence, to operate a world class diamond grading lab in Antwerp, to grow HRD Antwerp's market share in major diamond jewelry markets in Asia and to formulate a covenant with the Antwerp diamond trade for HRD Antwerp to reach at least 250,000 shops a year by 2025.
In explaining his decision to purchase the lab, Meeus said, "I do this not only because I believe we will make money. But also because it is good for Antwerp because it will be good for the business and will create jobs in Antwerp, because the interest of Antwerp's trade is that this name Antwerp will be lying in every shop in India, China and the Middle East. Because if that happens, these retailers will ask for more diamonds from this Antwerp. With its...