Binding offers for the acquisition of the largest steel plant in Europe must be presented to the Ilva commissioners in Taranto by 30 May. Despite the constraints and pending dangers of a legal nature and the sword of Damocles of new initiatives by the Taranto Judiciary, requests from some international operators are confidently awaited. The Marcegaglia Group, above all, in alliance with the Indian giant Mittal-Arcelor which with Taranto is able to conquer the undisputed monopoly of steel throughout Europe. The Mantuans would be allies and customers since the Marcegaglias have always been transformers and users of coils without ever having produced a kilo of steel.
With them the rumor is insistent that the Cassa Depositi e Prestiti would be the guarantor and capital shareholder in the revitalization and rehabilitation of the large Apulian plant. Public money that would be justified by the surly vigilance of the European Commission (and of Germany) as directed to the restructuring and policy of environmental and ecological rehabilitation of the site. How much of the 2,3 billion euros estimated as necessary to deal with the industrial operation will come out of public coffers? How much fresh capital will private individuals inject into the new ILVA? Or, as is rumored in ministerial circles, will the two industrialists come forward with business contributions or with services to the market through synergies and logistic structures? We will see the official steps in the next few days.
Leonardo Del Vecchio's willingness to put important fresh capital on the Taranto table surprised (and surprises) if an international steel player sits next to him together with the already potential shareholder Giovanni Arvedi who owns consolidated technology in plants for coils from less invasive electric furnace than blast furnaces and the integral cycle. A solution that could complement the remaining blast furnaces after the definitive closure of the two most polluting and oldest ones. The eyewear entrepreneur's step cannot be judged as a wishful thinking or a patriotic wish.
It is the sign that in his international relations Leonardo Del Vecchio has encountered concrete interests in the operation. Chinese looking to exploit the European and Mediterranean markets with a manufacturing presence capable of avoiding dumping exports or the political hostility of the widespread steel-hungry European mechanical and automotive industries? Indians like Jindal or Tata who have always been competitors of Mittal? Or, as it appears more realistic, the commitment of the Koreans of Posco, large producers of steel and technologies in the sector? We will see.
Meanwhile in Brescia in what was the capital of the tondino, the agony of Stefana in liquidation is at the end, after having accumulated debts for 300 million euros and not having been able to survive the second generation of children and sons-in-law. The large Ospitaletto site (about one million m2) was awarded by Esselunga which will transform it into the largest logistics center in the North.
The Nave rolling mill for small sections passed to Giuseppe Pasini's Feralpi for a very high sum (10 million euros) considered absurd in business circles and far from any evaluation of the old plants. The Montirone steel mill seems to have been booked by Alfa Acciai with an offer of 1 million euros. A sum that differs greatly from the expert's assessment but which is accompanied and supported by industrial credibility and a business history that immediately saw the unions, workers and public opinion as allies.
