Sarkozy "will make sure Florange reopens"
February 22, 2012
The call of the employees of ArcelorMittal Florange seems to have been heard. Moving in Aytré, in Charente-Maritime, Nicolas Sarkozy has defended Site metallurgy currently stopped. "I do not want Florange die. Of course there is the crisis, less demand for steel, but we will make sure Florange reopens. " The Head of State said that he spoke this morning with leaders of ArcelorMittal. "We will have the opportunity to speak," he added.
Florange employees, who have promised to become the "nightmare" of the government in its presidential campaign around the "Made in France", began on Monday to put their threat into execution. Responding to the call of an Inter CFDT, CGT, FO and CFE-CGC, 100 to 200 metalworkers occupied the offices of the factory management, including the closure will be extended in the second quarter.
Now, "the direction is laid off. We will remain in these offices as the blast furnaces of the plant will not restart "hammered Edward Martin, representative of the CFDT. That "candidates" for president "who claim to love plants undertake to ensure the survival of the site," he said, promising "at least one action a week until May 6." "The state has saved the Lejaby. It must intervene for us, "added Walter Broccoli, head FO.
"Management made us realize that, barring a miracle, this closure would last all year," says Edward Martin. ArcelorMittal, which has recently decided to finalize its steel plant in Liege (Belgium) and an "indefinite" that of Madrid, Lorraine ensures that the closure is only temporary, as the group has stated Eric Besson, Minister of Industry, last week fast cash advance.
The tool breaks down
But unions fear that the closure becomes final. A number of clues in this direction. "A blast furnace is designed to run continuously, otherwise it deteriorates," said an industry expert.
At Florange, investment maintenance of two blast furnaces, closed since June and October, have been reduced. "There is nothing for a month and a half" notes François Pagano, CFE-CGC delegate. Result, "the cold, some pipes broke," laments Edward Martin. Moreover, "the founders began to be reclassified in the group. Leaders do not take it otherwise if they had close Florange, "he says.
The recovery of orders was not considered sufficient to restart the plant. "Shipments are now much better than the fourth quarter of 2011, but we are still far volumes 2006, 2007 and 2008," said Aditya Mittal, chief financial officer, during the presentation of group results, taking as excellent year comparison.
Closing Florange would be consistent with the group's strategy to focus on very large production units in coastline at Dunkirk and Fos-sur-mer, or Bremen, Germany.
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