The administrators of debt-stricken Italian steel producer Lucchini have announced that, starting from December 11, the Piombino-based blast furnace operated by the company will be idled for one month, i.e., until January 11. The shutdown has been decided due to the lack of orders received by the company.
Trade unions immediately expressed concerns regarding the employment levels at the factory and for the condition of the blast furnace itself, which has been idled repeatedly in recent times, and they asked the company to shorten the period of suspension of crude steel production. On the other hand, Lucchini officials guaranteed that the blast furnace will be reignited after the suspension, stating that the restart might even occur earlier than the current schedule.