Liberty Steel's plants in Luxembourg (Dudelange) and Belgium (Liege) appear to be nearing final closure. More than two years after the shutdown, there were still no buyers for these assets. Informed sources cite EU import quotas as the main reason for the curtailment of negotiations, which curb the interest of potential investors from outside the bloc. This is reported by Kallanish.
In May, the sale of the Dudelange plant was officially suspended after Turkey's Tosyali declined to participate. Although another potential buyer recently visited the company, sources indicate that the company is also not from the EU, which means that it is subject to import restrictions on hot–rolled coils.
The unions report that the Luxembourg government has tried to negotiate with European institutions to resolve the situation, but to no avail. In July, Luxembourg even held a special career fair for former employees of the plant.
Meanwhile, ArcelorMittal Belgium has confirmed the purchase of part of Liberty Steel's former asset in Liege, in particular the Galva 5 hot-dip galvanizing line in Flemalle. The deal also includes CEPI repair shops and a water treatment plant.
After a nine-month technical upgrade, ArcelorMittal plans to restart production in 2026. Galva 5 manufactures galvanized products for the automotive and construction industries.
