Type
Bankruptcy
Country
France
Region
Location of affected unit(s)
Saint-Etienne (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes), Custines (Meurthe-et-Moselle), Hagondange (Moselle)
Sector
Manufacturing
(24 - 25) Manufacture of metals
24.1 - Manufacture of basic iron and steel and of ferro-alloys
24.10 - Manufacture of basic iron and steel and of ferro-alloys

549 jobs
Number of planned job losses
Job loss
Announcement Date
12 November 2025
Employment effect (start)
17 November 2025
Foreseen end date

Description

Novasco, the French steel producer specialising in special steels, is undergoing a major restructuring te following the liquidation of three of its four sites and the loss of 549 jobs. In November 2025, the commercial court of Strasbourg approved a takeover offer by a consortium led by the French SME Métal Blanc, which only covers the Leffrinckoucke site. The restructuring affcts particularly the Hagondange site, with 450 job cuts.

Trade unions (CFDT, CGT and CFE-CGC) have strongly criticised the outcome, describing it as a major social and industrial setback, notably given the strategic importance of the Hagondange electric steel plant for low-carbon steel production. Following the decision, employee representatives and dismissed workers have initiated legal action against the company’s owner, Greybull Capital, accusing it of failing to meet its financial commitments.


Sources

Citation

Eurofound (2025), NovAsco, Bankruptcy in France, factsheet number 203671, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://dev.eurofound.europa.eu/restructuring-events/detail/203671.