The Koniambo Nickel SAS (KNS) metallurgical factory, in Voh, New Caledonia, September 21, 2015. THEO ROUBY / AFP
After several weeks of negotiations between the State and the shareholders of the nickel plant in the north of the main island of New Caledonia, operated by Koniambo Nickel SAS (KNS), the decision was taken to put the plant into operation. sleep and begin a six-month transition phase. A period of time which should make it possible to find a buyer for the shares held by the Anglo-Swiss group Glencore in the project (49%, the other shareholder being the Northern Province itself). “The search for buyers is essential and we are ready to support it”indicated, Monday February 12, the office of the Minister of the Economy, Bruno Le Maire.
It was the leak, on Monday, of an internal note on social networks which precipitated the industrialist’s communication. In a press release dated Tuesday 13, Neil Meadows, the president of KNS, announced that the negotiations between the shareholders and the State had not made it possible to find any « solution alternative acceptable par Glencore ».
The president announces the decision taken at the general meeting, the same day, to suspend activities while maintaining “hot” the installations. The objective of KNS is to restart the activity as soon as a possible new partner arrives.
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Management also assures that, during this period, all of KNS’s direct jobs will be maintained. KNS represents 3,701 jobs (1,319 direct jobs, 1,457 indirect jobs and 925 induced jobs), whose contributions are vital to the survival of the Caledonian social security fund. Today, only the fate of subcontractors remains uncertain. Individual meetings with management will take place in the coming days.
“High operating costs”
“Despite the assistance offered by the French government, high operating costs and current very weak market conditions mean that KNS remains an unprofitable operation”, Glencore justified in a press release. The Anglo-Swiss company recalls that it has committed 4 billion dollars since 2013 and that nearly 9 billion have been spent since the start of the project without the factory reaching the profitability threshold.
Before the National Assembly, on February 6, in response to the Renaissance deputy from New Caledonia, Nicolas Metzdorf, the Minister of the Economy detailed his proposal made to Glencore: “60 million euros in subsidies on the price of energy, 45 million euros in additional resources, a loan of 100 million euros. »
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2024-02-13 13:33:58
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