ArcelorMittal to permanently shut Liège steel plant in Belgium

ArcelorMittal, the world's largest steelmaker today said that it will permanently close its liquid phase steel production at its site in the eastern Belgium city of Liège.

The Luxemburg-based steelmaker citied structural over-capacity in Northern Europe amid a difficult European market, as the reason for the closure.

One of the furnaces has been idled since 2008, the other since August and a foundry was also closed down.

"The liquid phase in Liege is still not competitive enough under foreseeable market conditions," Joao Felix da Silva, CEO of ArcelorMittal Liege, said in a statement.

Nearly 1,000 employees and contractors are likely to lose their jobs and local media said that the closure will affect thousand more people in the area. Belgian unions are planning to protest saying that the company is using ''gangsters' methods'' to close the plant.

Workers at the Liege plant had recently prevented six company executives from leaving their office for 48 hours in protest over temporary closures and layoffs.

ArcelorMittal's steel plants in Liège produce a wide range of steel such as pre-painted flat steel, galvanized, electrogalvanized low load, heavy gauge galvanized support of hot-rolled plates coated with thin layers.

These steels are used in appliances, automotive (body), packaging (cans, beverage cans, aerosols), construction (cladding).