SAINT-JEAN-DE-MAURIENNE (Savoie) (Reuters) - The German group Trimet signed an agreement on Saturday to take over from the mining giant Rio Tinto Alcan the aluminum sites of Saint-Jean-de Maurienne (Savoie) and Castelsarrasin (Tarn-et-Garonne), saving more than 500 jobs.
The Minister of Productive Recovery Arnaud Montebourg, who came for the occasion with Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, praised "the exemplary behavior" of the Anglo-Australian group, which agreed to sell facilities from which it had announced its disengagement in early 2012 .
"This is a success because we have an industrial strategy. We have found the right methods to avoid our disappointments in steel to be successful in aluminium," he said after being acclaimed by site employees.
In a press release, Rio Tinto indicated that it would respond to the firm offer submitted to it by Trimet, the terms of which are confidential, after consultation with the works councils of the two establishments.
But he welcomes the "constructive dialogue" conducted with Trimet - the first German aluminum group - and the French government for this transfer project, which associates EDF and the Public Investment Bank.
Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne produced 93.000 tonnes of aluminum and employed 480 people, making it the leading industrial site in the Maurienne valley, the cradle of aluminum in France.
FRANCO-GERMAN PECHINEY
Castelsarrasin, a casting center specializing in aluminum wires for mechanical applications and welding operations, has 35 employees.
The government itself took charge of looking for a buyer to avoid the disappearance of the Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne site, property of the former Pechiney group before its takeover by the Canadian Alcan, itself in turn absorbed by Rio Tinto.
Arnaud Montebourg mentioned the creation of a "Franco-German Pechiney", which also involves EDF because of the site's electricity contract, the latter to be renewed in 2014.
For Eric Massat, CFDT delegate of Rio Tinto, "it's a real industrial partner and not just a financial one", who will take over Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne. “We will be able to continue aluminum in France”, he rejoiced.
"We are very satisfied, it's a really good file", similarly estimated Roger Favier, mayor of the municipality of Châtel, who sees in the agreement signed on Saturday the beginning "of the creation of a real consortium in Europe which will enable the defense of the aluminum industry".
It will make it possible to enter the phase of social negotiations of the sale, a first central works council being planned for July 18 on the subject.
According to the Ministry of Productive Recovery, "the industrial project which will be implemented by an investment of more than 200 million (euros) over six years will be accompanied over time by the State, in particular with the Public Investment Bank ."
Yann Le Guernigou, with pool in Saint-Jean de Maurienne and Catherine Lagrange in Lyon
source: En.news.yahoo.com
Terms & Conditions
Subscribe
Report
My comments