Arvedi and Jindal Steel International have submitted bids for all active ex Ilva business complexes, bringing two potential buyers into a sale process that includes Taranto and the group’s processing plants in northern Italy. The commissioners announced the bids on 9 November, after the deadline set for midnight on 8 November, and are checking whether the submissions are complete and comply with the tender requirements.
The announcement coincides with a change on the production side: today, 10 November, Avvenire reported that Taranto’s hot-strip mill 2 was restarting with slabs supplied by Marcegaglia, under a tolling arrangement. This allows part of the works to remain active while primary steelmaking remains stopped.
According to Avvenire, Marcegaglia could also supply slabs in the coming months. The continuation of the arrangement would depend on the volumes and terms agreed. The plant will make its rolling capacity available for steel produced elsewhere. Revenue will have to cover the energy and operating costs of this activity, alongside the wider costs of maintaining the site.
The northern plants need coil
Taranto’s connection with northern Italy runs through hot-rolled coil. Acciaierie d’Italia’s plant description explains that Novi Ligure receives coil from Taranto through Genoa and then carries out cold rolling and coating.
Buying finished hot-rolled coil from suppliers outside the group would feed these downstream operations, leaving the conversion from slab to coil with the external producer.
What the bids cover, and what comes next
According to the commissioners’ statement, both bids cover all active business complexes. The announcement gives no prices or details of the industrial plans; the next step is the examination of the bids.
Siderweb recalls an earlier Jindal proposal combining electric-furnace production at Taranto with slabs imported from Oman. This precedent explains why the balance between domestic steelmaking and imports of semi-finished steel is relevant to the sale. The production commitments contained in the November bids will emerge when their terms are disclosed.
The joint Fim, Fiom and Uilm statement of 9 November asks the government to present the investment and employment plans and calls for a direct state shareholding.
The new buyer taking over the entire group would have to finance new steelmaking capacity while sustaining processing operations during the conversion. The Marcegaglia arrangement reported by the press offers a way to maintain some rolling activity and the associated revenue during this interval, with the steel supplied by another producer.
