The State has offered the receiver €14.5m to buy the site of the bankrupt steelmaker in Dudelange. The site will be used to meet the needs of the craft and defence industries. The Luxembourg Defence Campus will be located there. Nothing is planned for former Liberty Steel employees.
The State’s offer concerns the industrial buildings established on cadastral parcels 1266/7613 (ELO site) and 1304/9790 (HDG site) as well as all the installations incorporated within the HDG building, Economy Minister Lex Delles (DP) said, the Minister for Defence, Yuriko Backes (DP), and the Minister for Labour, Marc Spautz (CSV), in response to a parliamentary question put by Dan Biancalana (LSAP), Mayor of Dudelange, and his predecessor, Mars Di Bartolomeo (LSAP). An offer made to the receiver subject to conditions, principally “the maintenance in good condition, until conclusion of the deed transferring ownership, of all the assets in question and the guarantee of access on first request to any document relating to the buildings and installations, as well as the payment in full of all preferential creditors, including in particular wage claims and the balance to be repaid to Adem”.
Artisanat and defence
The ELO site is to be completely rebuilt in line with the principles of densification of business parks to create a “Handwierkerhaff” – a site for craft activities. The parliamentary response states that this will be done in several phases.
The 140 former Liberty Steel workers who were not made redundant, but whose employment contracts were automatically terminated, will not be given priority for re-employment and will remain within the Adem fold.
Author: Marc Fassone
