Metron appears to have failed to take advantage of growing water meter market

Torun-based Metron, the largest domestic company producing water and heating meters, wants to take determined action to get out of its financial tr oubles. To this end it is now looking to come to a settlement with its creditors, whom it owes over zł. 13 million. According to its proposals, Metron will begin to pay back its creditors in a years time and also wants to write-off the total accumulated interest on the debts, and court fees. The debt towards the twenty biggest creditors would be divided into 20 quarterly installments, while small creditors would receive their money in two installments. Metron justified its problems with the negative situation in the construction industry, higher fees introduced by Central Office of Measures (GUM) and substantial investments. (Puls Biznesu, p. 8) M.M. In Brief: PAIZ; Silesian Airlines investor now known; Leclerc; Softbank; According to the first calculations of the Polish Foreign Investment Agency (PAIZ), the value of direct investments in the first half of 2002 amounted to $3.2 billion. (www.onet.pl) ... Górnosląskie Towarzystwo Lotnicze (GTL) have sold a 51% stake in Silesian Airlines (SA) to TBS for zł. 500,000. SA's capital is valued around zł. 1 million. (Rzeczpospolita, p. B3) ... Fo llowing the opening of a new supermarket in Bełchatów on Thursday and a hypermarket in Lublin slated for tomorrow, the plans of E. Leclerc to increase its number of stores across the country to 11 are marching forward. So far, Leclerc's investments total zł. 1.03 billion. (Rzeczpospolita, p. B3) ... Shares in Softbank jumped 7%, to a nine month high on Monday, and have rocketed 37% since mid-March when PKO BP said the consortium in which Softbank is part of was shortlisted in a tender to provide the bank with a computer system that could cost up to zł. 2 billion. (Reuters) ... According BPH PBK analysts, domination of the supervisory board of Elektrim by Polsat representatives will intensify actions to take control over telecom assets belonging to the company. Highwood Partners has taken its dispute with Polsat over recent events to the prosecutor. (Puls Biznesu, p. 7)A.Z./M.M.