Mittal’s deal with France averts plant nationalisation

The world’s largest steel maker, owned by India-born tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, has 2,700 employees at the entire plant situated in the north-eastern part of the country.

The deal was announced by French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault on Friday when the deadline for ArcelorMittal to find buyers for the two blast furnaces expired. “The government decided against the idea of a temporary nationalisation that was floated in recent days...

It ruled that option out, given the commitments secured from ArcelorMittal,” Ayrault said.

He said the company has pledged that its investment in Florange over the next five years would not mean it would reduce its financial commitment at other sites in France.

The fresh funds at Florange would reinforce cold-steel and packaging operations at the site. The steel giant employs about 20,000 people in France across multiple facilities.

The French government and ArcelorMittal had locked horns for months over the fate of the Florange facility. The dispute escalated last week when the French government had threatened to nationalise the company’s assets in the country. Industry minister Arnaud Montebourg had said that the multinational is no longer welcome in the country, as per

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