The State will be “behind the employees” of French industrial sites, such as Ascoval, indirectly affected by the bankruptcy of the British finance company Greensill, Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire assured Tuesday.
Asked about France 2 on possible job destruction on French sites, the minister said he had "no fear", adding that, "in all cases, the State will be behind these industrial sites and behind the employees ”.
In France, after having known years of uncertainties about its future, the Ascoval steelworks seemed to have emerged from the crisis last summer, with its takeover by the steel group Liberty Steel, in common with the rail factory of 'Hayange.
But British finance company Greensill filed for bankruptcy on Monday, which could have consequences for its clients, including Liberty Steel.
"The State will know how to bridge the gap"
According to the Financial Times, Greensill can no longer pay his debts and a bailout under discussion by US investment firm Apollo would not concern loans to the GFG Alliance group of steel magnate Sanjeev Gupta, owner of Liberty Steel.
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"The employees of Hayange, Ascoval, Dunkirk must know that the State will be behind them", that is to say that "if there are financial difficulties, the State will know how to bridge the gap, find alternative solutions, ”insisted Bruno Le Maire.
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As a reminder, the Saint-Saulve plant, created in 1975 by the steelmaker Vallourec, was taken over in 2019 by the Olympus holding company after four years of financial setbacks.
