Beltrame’s Stahl Gerlafingen to Cut Working Hours Due to Energy

Italy’s Beltrame Group’s Stahl Gerlafingen steel plant in the canton of Solothurn in Switzerland, which had applied for short term work over high energy prices, has been granted permission to resort to short-time working from October to December as a preventive measure. However, it is still unclear whether the employees will actually be sent home. Stahl Gerlafingen employs approximately 500-560 people.In Switzerland, when a company finds itself in difficulty, it can temporarily reduce the working hours of its staff, known as short-time working. The employees then work at a lower percentage and the employer pays a lower salary. The unemployment insurance compensates 80% of the loss of income of the employee on short-time work. The measure was used by many Swiss companies in recent years as a result of restrictions related to the Covid pandemic. But, this is one of the first cases of a company using short-time working to deal with the energy crisis caused by the war in Ukraine. Stahl Gerlafingen recycles scrap steel in technologically advanced plant and produces approximately 687'000 tonnes of structural and reinforcing steel annually and is the leading Swiss supplier of reinforcing steel products. Stahl Gerlafingen AG is a subsidiary of Beltrame Group.1813 - Founding of Ludwig von Roll'sche Eisenwerke1836 - Start-up of Rolling Mill1918- Start-up of Steel Plant1996 - Sale of von Roll steel business activities to von Moos Holding, then merger with Swiss Steel2003 - Schmolz + Bickenbach & Gebuka acquire the majority share of Swiss Steel2006 - AFV Acciaierie Beltrame takes over a 100% share of Stahl Gerlafingen