German steelmaker Saarstahl has confirmed its intention to acquire two steel plants from Liberty Steel Group. The plants in question are Liberty Ascoval, located in Saint-Saulve, northern France, and Liberty Rail Hayange in Hayange, Moselle in the north east of the country.
Saarstahl’s bid is backed by a strong plan for the future of the two plants, but also the company’s ambitions for the Nord and Moselle regions where the plants are located.
Saarstahl intends to fully integrate the two plants into its production network and make them part of the company’s solid economic, social and technical base in keeping with the mission of majority shareholder the Montan-Stiftung-Saar trust and the culture of social dialogue inherent in the German model of co-management.
"Our project aims to integrate a new rail market into Saarstahl's commercial and industrial strategy, to diversify our portfolio (electric arc furnace blooms and rails) and to access a new production technology (electric arc furnace). This project is fully aligned with the strategy of our Saarland Group, both in terms of strengthening competitiveness and structural transformation."
Dr. Karl-Ulrich Köhler, chairman of Saarstahl's management board.
According to Saarstahl, at the end of the integration, Hayange will be a key asset for company, contributing to the European strategy for the ecological transition of mobility. Saarstahl says its aim is to produce high quality infrastructure materials essential for the development of sustainable solutions.
It is claimed that Ascoval will be the pivotal point of Saarstahl's green steel production—thanks to the circular economy with steel produced from secondary raw materials (recycled steel) on the one hand, and electric arc furnace technology on the other.