ArcelorMittal Italia pays contractors, denies staying until May

Apulia region president Michele Emiliano met on 13 November with new ArcelorMittal Italia chief executive Lucia Morselli, according to a regional government statement.

During the meeting Morselli reassured the president that the company will keep its commitments and pay the contractors of former steelmaker Ilva. While the news will be welcomed by the Italian supply chain, a source at a company supplying raw materials for the Taranto plant stressed to Kallanish that many local banks say they will not at present insure credits to ArcelorMittal Italia.

Meanwhile, ArcelorMittal denied when contacted by Kallanish reports from the local press that say the company will keep managing all former Ilva facilities until May 2020. Next May the tribunal in Milan will decide whether ArcelorMittal can legally withdraw from the purchase of the Italian steelmaker.

When ArcelorMittal started the procedure to officially withdraw from the Ilva purchase, “…it asked the Special Commissioner to take back responsibility for Ilva’s operations and employees within 30 days from receipt of the withdrawal letter,” a source close to the company confirms.

A new meeting between Lucia Morselli, trade unions and the Ministry of Economic Development (Mise) is scheduled for 15 November in Rome.