The future of Canada-based Dofasco could be settled within the next two weeks, the date when members of the company’s administrative board are due to decide whether its owner, Arcelor Mittal, can sell it or not. Arcelor Mittal’s competition restrictions in Europe – which require it to divest three steel plants – could also be resolved by early 2007, the company said on 13 November. Arcelor Mittal said it has passed its recommendations to Dofasco’s three-member board – known as the strategic steel stichting – that was originally set up to protect the company from being divested. Mr Lakshmi Mittal, Arcelor Mittal’s new CEO following the resignation on the weekend Mr Roland Junck, said that a decision was expected within two weeks. Meanwhile, Arcelor Mittal has drawn up a shortlist of bidders for mills at Unterwellenborn, in Germany, Pallenzano, in Italy, and Huta Bankowa in Poland.
