Liberty to revamp pickling line at Piombino, unions

After Liberty House takes over Italian plant La Magona in Piombino, the pickling line that has been idled for a number of years will be revamped and restarted, a union source tells Kallanish. This follows a meeting in Piombino between unions and Liberty ceo Jon Bolton.

Restarting the pickling line will also mean hiring around 30 workers. The new owner also intends to purchase an area that will stock hot rolled coil sourced by Liberty from the market and from ArcelorMittal to feed Piombino’s mills. Further investments for the plant will be discussed during the first quarter of ownership by Liberty house, Kallanish is told.

This happens amid “…concerns regarding the financial relaunch of the plant which is not profitable,” the source says. “We are also demanding clarity on the supply contracts and prices for the hot rolled coils that Liberty is rumoured to be in the process of agreeing with ArcelorMittal to feed Piombino, but we have no precise information yet. The closing should happen by the end of May or beginning of June.”

Liberty is looking to buy a number of plants controlled by ArcelorMittal, put on the market following the acquisition of Italian group Ilva. The plants include ArcelorMittal Ostrava (Czech Republic), ArcelorMittal Galati (Romania), ArcelorMittal Skopje (North Macedonia), ArcelorMittal Piombino (Italy), and ArcelorMittal Dudelange (Luxembourg). Also included are the HDG lines 4-5 of ArcelorMittal Liège and three lines located in Tilleur (Belgium). Giovanni Carpino will be the new ceo in Piombino, the source says.