Thierry Michel, was the guest of Benjamin Maréchal’s show “They deserve to be in the newspaper”, on Bel RTL. The film director has just made a film on the fall of the Liège steel industry, entitled “Steel flowed in our veins”.
It was a flagship of the Belgian economy. Long at the cutting edge of technology, the Liège steel industry has marked the history of Wallonia, and more broadly, of the country. With “Steel flowed in our veins”, film director Thierry Michel pays tribute to the Liège steelworkers and their fight against the destruction of their factories and their know-how.
“To allow yourself to be absorbed by France? A masterful error”
“It happened in phases, explains the director. In the 1980s, the decline began. Our Belgian company, which was a flagship, exported very high quality steel everywhere with a highly qualified workforce, but it will be completely dismantled in stages.” The dismantling process involves the absorption by France of our industries. “I think it was a major mistake to allow ourselves to be absorbed by France, by Usinor, which will take the order book, the technology,… They will take everything,” believes Thierry Michel.
The immense waste: the Valfil rolling mill sold “for a pittance”
Each arrival of a new CEO of the group is a lost hope. In January 1983, Belgium called on a Frenchman, Jean Gandois, to redress the situation. He is seen as the providential man. But he fails to save the flagship. This is evidenced by the tragic case of the Valfil rolling mill: an ultra-modern company, a technological gem, which was sold to the Chinese after 4 years of existence. “The company cost 7 billion and we are selling it for a pittance”regrets Thierry Michel. It was incredible, mind-blowing.”.
“This is where the process of changeover of the Belgian and European steel industry begins (with the exception of Germany which was able to keep its steel industry, because the public authorities insisted on maintaining production autonomy), but in the others countries, it will shift towards emerging countries, because that’s where the profits are made”explains Thierry Michel. Only Flanders has retained its steel industry.
Steelworkers continue to protest: “They throw coils into the Meuse”
Started ten years ago, Thierry Michel’s film also shows the legacy of the steelworkers’ struggle. At the time, workers occupied the factory to protest, but dismantling was inevitable. “We see that 20 years later, there is resistance from workers: they throw reels into the Meuse, describes Thierry Michel. Because they don’t want it to go to Brazil. They say ‘Our work tools are being taken away from us and we are being plunged into unbearable situations.’.
Steel industry metallurgy Liège rolling mill Valfil Thierry Michel Jean Gandois Steel has flowed in our veins Unisor
