Ex Ilva: «Stop per l’ordine dei giudici e perché siamo senza materie prime»

The former Italian steel company Acciaierie d'Italia, known as ex Ilva, has halted production due to a combination of legal constraints and a lack of raw materials. The decision to cease operations, known as an "ordine dei giudici," stemmed from a decree issued by the Milan Court on July 27 and a subsequent ruling by the Milan Court of Appeal.

These orders aimed to manage production while adhering to deadlines set by the Court of Appeal in Milan, with a particular focus on reducing fine dust emissions (PM10 and PM2.5) and eliminating asbestos from the furnaces' cowpers.

AdI explained that the imposed regulations were not feasible within the given timeframe, leading to the company presenting two appeals to find solutions that would allow production to continue. However, both appeals were rejected on September 11 and October 5, respectively. A hearing in Cassation is scheduled for October 20, where the General Prosecutor's Office has expressed a different stance compared to the prosecutor general at the Court of Appeal and the same Court of Appeal.

The halt in production is not solely due to the legal order but also because of the depletion of raw materials in Taranto, with the last necessary materials expiring on October 25. AdI emphasized that the temporary shutdown affects not only Taranto but also the Ligurian plants in Novi Ligure and Genoa, which rely on Taranto's production for their supply of steel and do not have an independent high-temperature area.

The cessation of upstream activities will inevitably lead to the temporary shutdown of downstream plants as well.

AdI also addressed the request made by the Ligurian administrators, starting with Genoa's mayor Silvia Salis, to purchase supplies on the market to prevent affecting production in the North. However, AdI clarified that the times and conditions of the international market make purchasing slabs and rolls an impractical solution in the short term.

The demand for quality materials from AdI's clients in AS cannot be met through market purchases, as any possible solutions have already been explored through judicial tools and attempts to find alternative solutions to keep production running.