Investment arm of real estate developer Groupe Mach
But the firm will invest only if members of Montreal’s Saputo family are also willing to put in more cash to help save the company, the person said, speaking on the condition they not be named because the talks are private.
Mach is conducting due diligence on Lion Electric, according to the person, as the manufacturer goes through a wrenching restructuring to preserve what little cash it has left. On Sunday, Lion announced the layoff of 400 people — more than half of its employees — and said it’s suspending manufacturing at its facility in Joliet, Ill.
Shares of Lion soared as much as 188 per cent in Toronto on Monday, before paring those gains to trade at 47.5 cents, up 90 per cent.
Mach’s interest was reported earlier by the Journal de Montreal.
In 2023, Groupe Mach and the Mirella & Lino Saputo Foundation were part of a group of investors that bought $90 million in senior secured debentures from Lion Electric.
A spokesperson for Lion did not reply to a request for comment.