Bekaert will stop the production of the tire cord in Sardinia and transfer the site to Nuova Icom

Bekaert, a Belgian wire manufacturer group, has signed a preliminary agreement with Nuova Icom, a Sardinian company specializing in industrial engineering and metalworking, to reindustrialize its Machiareddu plant in Sardinia, Italy. The company notes that in recent years, structural changes in the tire industry have affected the demand and competitiveness of the Sardinian company Bekaert for the production of reinforcing wire. Production activity at the plant is gradually decreasing, and the production of a tire cord is no longer considered appropriate in the current market conditions. According to the Italian business newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore, cited by Bekaert, among the causes of the crisis are transportation costs, which are three times higher than those of competitors, as well as unstable energy supply in Sardinia, which creates serious difficulties for energy-intensive enterprises. The plant employs 237 employees directly and about 50 more people in related industries. The preliminary agreement with Nuova Icom provides for the transfer of the Bekaert site and measures for the re-employment of employees. Workers and unions Fiom, Fsm and Uil intend to remain in a state of constant mobilization until Thursday. According to them, the announced sale does not provide guarantees and creates the risk of gradual dismantling of the industrial asset, which remains strategically important for the Sardinian economy. The deal is expected to be completed in October.