AusGroup refinances term loan, upsizes banker's guarantee

AUSGROUP on Wednesday announced that it has entered into a facility agreement for a US$20 million three-year term loan and A$76.5 million banker's guarantee with DBS Bank.

The Singapore-listed company said the loan facility will be used to refinance its existing facility with Wingate Group "at a much reduced all-in interest rate", while extending AusGroup's debt maturity profile to 2018.

As AusGroup's orderbook has increased, the banker's guarantee facility has also been upsized from A$50 million to A$76.5 million. This will facilitate the group's increasing need for bid bonds, performance bonds, and financial guarantees, the company said.

Said AusGroup chief financial officer Gerard Hutchinson: "Our goal is to become a leading service provider to the oil & gas sectors in Australia and South-east Asia and the continued support of our lenders is a necessary ingredient to being able to achieve this. Whilst we will use these funds to retire the Wingate facility, we are thankful for their past support."