Heat wave in France slows activity
According to Kallanish sources, the ongoing heat wave in France has a negative impact on transport and the steel sector, including factories and distributors.
Deliveries, especially in the afternoon, are slowing down as workers struggle to keep up with the grueling factories and shorten their working hours to escape the heat.
The purchasing department is also warning of a slowdown in the pace of deliveries and order acceptance, as many workers are taking the weekend off this week ahead of the expected heat relief on Sunday.
Unloading of ships is also slowing down in the northern ports. "France is not adapted to extreme heat. In the ports of Rouen and Ghent, only a few cranes are equipped with air conditioners, and those that are without them cannot be used," one of the sources in the scrap metal segment tells Kallanish.
Another source warns of possible supply disruptions due to low water levels in rivers between France and Germany.
Two sources at the plant report that the equipment is overheating, and breakdowns require repairs that take two to three hours and interrupt production.
Air conditioners are not widespread in central and northern France, where most mills, distributors, and grinders are located. The scrap metal seller warns that the current conditions significantly increase the risk of fire. While the office premises are air-conditioned, the work areas of the shredders, according to experts, are unbearably hot due to the fact that workers have gone on vacation.
Two French distributors say that activity recovered slightly in June after a lull in the previous month, but has since declined sharply due to weather conditions. School closures in some regions on Thursday and Friday, as well as early afternoon breaks, further complicate the working week.
Author: Natalia Kapra
Kallanish.com