(Finance) – “The binding offers for the acquisition of the industrial assets of ex Ilva/Acciaierie d’Italia” and “now it is essential that the trade union organizations are summoned by the government to open the discussion phase: it is urgent to know the industrial plans of those who have submitted offers”. This is stated Usb Industry, adding that “it is necessary to avoid the sale-stew: we need to keep the entire production asset united and give certainties regarding the unitary management of the workforce, ensuring equal treatment for everyone, in Taranto as in Genoa and in the other factories”.
“We also expect the State – he reiterates the basic trade union – maintains its presence within the corporate structure, playing an active role of guarantee. Finally, the government needs to draw up a Taranto Plan to give clear answers to a territory that has already paid so much in terms of health, environment and production-employment”.
With 10 offers on the commissioners’ table for Ex Ilvaof which three for the entire group and the others for individual assets, the former Ilva issue enters a decisive phase. As underlined days ago minister Adolfo Urso “the significant participation of large international players confirms that we are on the right path to relaunch the Italian steel industry”. But this step, however, does not reassure the unions who are asking for a table at Palazzo Chigi.
The project for the former Ilva will hopefully have to hold together complex and not easily reconcilable objectives: economic sustainability and environmental sustainability, the protection of employment levels and the guarantee of production levels and investments. And it cannot be ruled out that new consortia could then be created from the initial roster, possibly by combining an Italian partner with one of the international players aiming to take over the group as a whole. The commissioners specify that any other proposals may be evaluated “only if they present particularly favorable conditions”.
They arrived at the deadline offers for the entire Acciaierie d’Italia group, the former Ilva, from the Azerbaijani consortium Baku Steel Company and Azerbaijan Investment Company, from the Indian Jindal Steel International, from the US fund Bedrock Industries Management. The Italian steel system has instead moved towards individual assets with Marcegaglia emerging as a point of reference also in aggregating various alliances. The Gazoldo degli Ippoliti group is targeting three sites for the production of pipes: Socova in Sénas in France (where it recently acquired the Fos-sur-Mer plant in Marseille); Racconigi in consortium with Profilmec Group and Eusider of the Anghileri family; Salerno, in partnership with Sideralba which is already Marcegaglia’s partner for a site in Tunisia. Again for individual activities, still in play are Eusider, the Sicilian IMC, the Milanese Vitali, and the consortium created by the Benevento company Car Segnaletica Stradale with Monge and Trans Isole,