On July 30, global steel and mining giant Evraz plc announced that, due to unfavorable market conditions, it will temporarily suspend operations at its Italian steel plate producing subsidiary Evraz Palini e Bertoli starting from August 20 and lasting at least until the end of October this year. Located in Udine in northern Italy, Palini e Bertoli has an annual output capacity of 500,000 mt of steel plate of varying grades and sizes.
Evraz said that it will closely monitor developments in the European steel plate market and any further decisions on reopening Palini e Bertoli will be subject to prevailing market conditions.
Evraz also said that Palini e Bertoli will execute all shipments under its current order book, while after the suspension of production customer orders will be channeled to other facilities of Evraz "to the extent possible". Evraz does not expect any adverse effects on the performance of its Russian operations which previously supplied slabs to Palini e Bertoli, as these volumes can be offered to the market at similar terms.
Following the announcement of the imminent suspension of production, local trade unions have called for a two-day strike at Palini e Bertoli on Thursday and Friday this week, and have called a meeting of workers for next Monday, August 5.