France

摘要

The new giant steelmaker made up of Usinor, Arbed and Aceralia finally received EC approval in December and announced its curious new name: Arcelor. The EC anti-monopoly office has required the merged group to competition. The galvanizing lines are all joint ventures-Galmed in Spain, Lusosider in Portugal, Segal in Belgium and Arvedi in Italy. Arcelor's partners are expected to buy them out.The EC may be reassured to learn that apparently buyers of galvanized steel were already taking their own precautions against potential monopoly power. Smaller galvanisers such as Voest alpine and Salzgitter report that carmakers and makers of white goods, customers of Arcelor's component companies, have approached them with a view to diversifying supply sources.