The Franco-Belgian group Altifort has submitted an offer without suspensive clause that he considers to save the steelworks Ascoval of Saint-Saulve (North), said Friday its managing director, Bart Gruyaert. The proposal will be presented next Wednesday before the Commercial Court of Strasbourg.
The Franco-Belgian group Altifort, the only candidate for the resumption of Ascoval, has completed its offer to save this steelworks 281 employees based in Saint-Saulve (North), we learned this Friday from the direction of Altifort. Altifort submitted its offer late afternoon to the High Court (TGI) of Strasbourg, said its managing director Bart Gruyaert.
The commercial chamber of the TGI will rule next Wednesday on the fate of Ascoval, currently in receivership. The offer includes 25 million euros in state funding, which was the last element to be finalized, Gruyaert said. "We also have agreements from other financiers," banks and communities, he added.
More than 400 jobs for Ascoval
The file that will be examined by the TGI provides more than 400 jobs for Ascoval: the maintenance of the existing 281 and the creation of 133 others through the construction of an additional workshop, a wire train for the production of steel wire, has added Mr. Gruyaert. This investment is, however, conditioned on a change in the organization of work by changing to 5x8 schedules, warned the manager.
"We have taken a first step, but we are waiting for the meeting with Bruno Le Maire (the Minister of the Economy) Monday to get guarantees in case it goes wrong," reacted Nacim Bardi, union delegate CGT Ascoval . " It is not finished yet. We will be reassured and happy when the court accepts the project, because it has been three or four years since the employees were taken by boat. "
The financial commitment promised by the state was confirmed in extremis: "We received the mail from Bercy at 4 pm," said Mr. Gruyaert, one hour before the expiry of the deadline set by the court to file the complaint. 'offer.
The plan proposed by Altifort at the end of October amounted to 137 million euros, of which 40 million from the state. The amount of the final file will be "a little less, according to Mr. Gruyaert, but we have raised the necessary amount" to sustain Ascoval. In addition to the potential buyer and the State, the latter brings together the assistance of several banks, the Hauts-de-France region and the Valenciennes Métropole urban community.
Contrary to the scenario initially envisaged, the offer goes without Vallourec, Ascoval's shareholder, who refused to commit to maintaining orders for an 18-month transition period.