ArcelorMittal and Marcegaglia submit offer for Ilva - Seite 2

• Develop Ilva's product range with high quality products for automotive, construction and energy segments
• Leverage ArcelorMittal's extensive European sales and marketing network

Leverage ArcelorMittal's technical automotive team to develop homologations for demanding OEM segments

Strong relationship with key customer guaranteed with Marcegaglia as shareholder

Restore role of leading supplier of steel to the Italian market and beyond

Invest in new research and development centre in Taranto

• Dedicated R&D centre to be launched with initial investment of €10 million
• First objective will be to focus on environmental, process and product technologies that will help Ilva accelerate the implementation of its environmental, industrial and commercial plans

Programme to reach best-in-class performance levels

• Benchmark against ArcelorMittal plants worldwide to identify areas of largest opportunity and deliver process and productivity improvements
• Inject production know-how and specialist support to improve in priority areas
• Ensure best-in-class production system in place covering competitiveness, quality, safety and environment

Long-term commitment to the community

• Consultation exercise to be run with the local community to understand areas where community would most value support
• Aim to become an active and welcome member of the community, based on a culture of transparent two-way dialogue
• Employment opportunities in the wider ArcelorMittal group

Commenting, Mr Lakshmi N. Mittal, chairman and chief executive, ArcelorMittal, said:
"We believe the ArcelorMittal and Marcegaglia consortium is the best partner for Ilva.  Our managers and engineers have been studying the company for some years and well understand what needs to be done to turnaround the performance and ensure a strong, safe and sustainable future for the employees of Ilva and the people of Taranto.  We are confident that we have the right industrial plan, the right environmental plan and the right commercial plan to support the transformation of Ilva into a company that will once again be a jewel of the Italian manufacturing landscape, adding value to the Italian economy and all stakeholders."