plants in northern France with three steel plants; in Réhon and Hautmont, (France) and in Marchienne-au-Pont, (Belgium) adding over 35,000 persons to the company. The new company was named Cockerill-Ougrée-Providence, and had a production capacity of 5 million tonnes of steel. In 1969 the Phenix Works (Flémalle-Haute) became part of the Cockerill-Ougrée-Providence group (fully absorbed 1989). In 1970 the company merged with the Liège-based Société Métallurgique d'Espérance Longdoz, forming Cockerill-Ougrée-Providence et Espérance Longdoz; the new group was the fifth largest steelmaker in the EEC, with a steel production capacity of 7million tonnes; the new group contained all the steel producing companies in the Liège basin. In 1975 the company sold its 25% stake in Sidmar to Arbed. In 1979 the Forges de la Providence company was sold to Thy-Marcinelle et Monceau (TMM), disposing of the group's interests outside the Liège area; the resulting Liège-based group being known simply as Cockerill. The company then merged with the Charleroi-based steel group Hainaut-Sambre in 1981 to form Cockerill-Sambre. Cockerill-Sambre The merger to form Cockerill-Sambre was announced on 16 January 1981, and the company came into being on 26 June 1981. The company inherited a debt equivalent to 1363million Eur from Cockerill and a similar amount from Hainaut-Sambre. A rescue plan was drawn up by consultant Jean Gandois in 1983, the aim was to return the company by 1985, which was a prerequisite for sanction by the European Commission of a government-backed investment plan (the second Claes plan). One consequence of the restructuring was that, of 22,000 workers (1983), nearly 8,000 would no longer be required by 1986, in addition to production cuts and closures. EKO Stahl (Eisenhüttenstadt) was acquired in 1994. In 1999 the group became part of the French steel group Usinor; in 2002 there was another merger, this time with Arbed and Aceralia of Luxembourg and Spain, to form the continental western European steel giant Arcelor. See also European Coal and Steel Community Notes References Sources External links ArcelorMittal Liège company website — current entity . Steel companies of Belgium ArcelorMittal History of Charleroi History of Liège Seraing Manufacturing companies established in 1981 Manufacturing companies disestablished in 1999 1981 establishments in Belgium 1999 disestablishments in Belgium Defunct manufacturing companies of Belgium Companies based in Liège Province