JSW Steel defers Italian co acquisition as it shifts focus to India

Kolkata - JSW Steel Ltd, the third largest steel maker in India, yesterday said it has deferred the proposed acquisition of Italy’s Lucchini SpV.

“For the time being, plans for India is much stronger and larger. We want to focus in India…. We have deferred our decision to invest in the Italian project,” JSW Steel chairman and managing director Sajjan Jindal said.

He was speaking on the sidelines of inauguration of Ispat Pragati Bhawan, the new office of Institute of Steel
Development & Growth (Insdag) in the city.

In September, Jindal had told reporters that JSW has offered less than $100 million for three mills of the insolvent Lucchini and it was in a position to win it.

More from Corporate

Maha: Court orders Rs 30L compensation for parents after youth dies in road accident Ashleigh Barty comes from set down to beat Coco Gauff in Australian Open lead-up

The company recently also gave a clarification in the bourses saying, “In line with our long term strategy toacquire finishing mills near to the market, we have submitted a binding bid for takeover of Rolling Mills of the Piombini Plant of Lucchini in Italy subject to certain terms and conditions. We are yet to get the response on this bid.”

Lucchini, with a steel capacity of about 2.5 mt, was owned by Russia’s Severstal but had to be declared insolvent in 2012 following which the government placed it under special administration and started the process to find buyers.

JSW currently has a total installed steel making capacity of 14.3 million tonnes in India.

PTI