Acciaierie d’Italia, formerly known as Ilva, has received 10 bids for its Taranto steel plant, though only two are for the company’s entire business, it said in a statement.
Full-asset bids were submitted by Bedrock Industries and the Flacks Group + Steel Business Europe consortium. The other eight bids targeted individual assets, including Renexia (Toto Group), Industrie Metalli Cardinale (IMC), Marcegaglia, Marcegaglia + Sideralba consortium, CAR Srl, Marcegaglia + Profilmec + Eusider consortium, Eusider, and Trans Isole.
Two early frontrunners, Azerbaijan’s Baku Steel Company and India’s Jindal Steel International, withdrew. Baku Steel abandoned plans due to opposition to a regasification vessel needed for powering electric furnaces, while Jindal shifted its focus to Germany’s Thyssenkrupp, according to media reports cited by Reuters.
The Extraordinary Commissioners will now assess the proposals, weighing factors such as employment, decarbonization, and investment scale. Late bids may still be considered if they offer especially favorable terms.
Once Europe’s largest steelmaker, Ilva was placed under state administration after years of financial and environmental controversies. The Taranto facility now operates at about 2 mln tons per year, far below its 10-mln-ton peak. The government is seeking a buyer capable of restoring production closer to full capacity while ensuring sustainable development.
