Five multinational companies are interested in troubled steelmaker Acciaierie d’Italia (ADI), formerly known as Ilva, Italy’s Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy Adolfo Urso said after a meeting with trade unions in Genova last week. Three of these five companies have projects that are “rather structured”.
“In Piombino, we managed to implement two different and complementary industrial projects. That of the Indian group [JSW] that has finally stated its intention to invest in the rail mill and that of the new investor, the largest Ukrainian multinational … the group Metinvest together with Danieli. I think this may be a model to apply in this case. We intend to build a national steel plan to present to the country before the summer, capable of showing the strategic objectives of the government,” Urso told local press.
The plan will include the relaunch of the former Ilva’s steelmaking sites, the relaunch of Piombino and Acciai Speciali Terni with Arvedi.
Last week, Urso and ADI commissioners Giancarlo Quaranta, Davide Tabarelli and Giovanni Fiori visited the plant in Genova. Union sources say the commissioners will implement a mapping of the equipment at the Taranto steelworks to understand the maintenance required.
ADI was declared insolvent by the Milan tribunal due to “an absence of liquidity”. This officially triggered the procedure of special administration initiated last month that took control of the firm from ArcelorMittal. It allows the state to inject into the company the necessary funds to guarantee production continuity (see Kallanish passim).
Authorities are seeking private investors for ADI after Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the government intends to avoid nationalisation. It is rumoured to be in talks with local steelmaker Arvedi, but also with Metinvest and Jindal Steel subsidiary Vulcan Green Steel.
Meanwhile, the commissioners have appointed Giuseppe Cavalli as director general of ADI.
Natalia Capra France
