5 August and 31 September: these two dates could mark the real turning point in the destiny of the former Ilva. There will be a meeting of the unions with the Minister on Monday in Rome Adolfo UrI know to understand whether the tender for the sale of the Group, just published, is going in the right direction or not. We should know who the new ownership will be on September 31st, with offers due by September 20th. In the meantime, he has been appointed to manage the operation Francesco Zambon, principalMarketplace of Finpiemonte Partecipazioni. He will be in charge of the bidding phases in these two crucial months.
The tender notice concerns the acquisition of the assets and corporate activities of Ilva e Steelworks of Italy in extraordinary administration (AS) and of the other companies of the Group: Ilva Servizi Marittimi SpA, Ilvaform SpA, Taranto Energia Srl, Socova Sas, Adi Energia Srl, Adi Servizi Marittimi Srl, Adi Tubiforma Srl, Adi Socova Sas. The notice of sale bears the signature of the extraordinary commissioners and revolves around the historical ones needs of the steel company. The development of steel production, the implementation of the environmental protection plan, the decarbonisation of production processes, the protection of employment levels, remain the pillars of a semi-collapsed construction under the blows of global competitiveness.
Meeting at the Ministry on Monday
“The transfer procedure aims to provide activities and forms of compensation in favor of local communities and to preserve the continuity of the business complexes of the Companies under AS, with the aim of quickly bringing them back to maximum levels of activity” says a note from the Ministry of Business. It's not hard to think of Taranto. Judging by the initial assessments of the unions, the tender has taken an uncomfortable path. Were they in a hurry to say it? Monday's meeting will help us understand better. However, if the government's interest is to close an issue that is symbolic of the "distraction" of politics with respect to the future of the national industry, of the unpreparedness for the challenges of change and sustainability, workers have the right to imagine any destiny. We must not be afraid to call things by name and surname, in this case the Taranto steelworks as a wound of a country lacking planning. Producing steel while respecting the health of citizens, applying the rules, communicating with territories and institutions requires a political and managerial effort that has become increasingly imposing. The world's industry needs steel and the way it is produced increases or reduces the success of an entrepreneur. Let those who want to be serious come forward. It is to be believed that whoever becomes the owner of Ilva will have taken into account not only the relaunch of (theoretical) production in Taranto up to 7-8 million tons, but the vigor necessary to compete with an infinite number of subjects interested in working, protecting health and environmental recovery.
Lower environmental impacts
In the announcement, according to the secretary of Uil Rocco Palombella the same criteria as in 2016 are proposed again. Four years ago it was Giuseppe Conte prime minister to sign an industrial death certificate for the Taranto site, leaving the field free for ArcelorMittal. A political disaster in the illusion of imaginative environmental and industrial regeneration plans. The situation has worsened with other judicial investigations, other campaigns, other victims due to health damage, although today we rely on the 320 million euro bridge loan from the EU. Perhaps the time has come not to oppose technologically valid hypotheses to the bitter end. Reform is a word that fits in with industrial transformations and in Taranto it is worth taking action. “To avoid repeating the mistakes of the past, we expect maximum responsibility from the Government and the extraordinary commissioners in choosing the investor who will buy the former Ilva” said Palombella. The union for the Apulian plant is thinking about the construction of electric ovens and to a pre-reduced plant but in a dialogue with the Commissioners and the government. The environmental impacts would be reduced and old projects could be revived. The commissioner managers must be recognized for their commitment to having started the sales procedure and for their effort to protect employment levels. Will the State guarantee the time and projects necessary to understand whether Italy should remain in the steel market or not? It's like a appeal call. Ultimately this is what the sale tells us, so as not to repeat the list of mistakes and horrors of the past.
