Workers start strike at four Elkem sites

Oslo – Workers across four of Elkem ASA’s plants in Norway have started an industrial action as the negotiations between unions and employers broke down on 13 Aug.

The strike, which is taking place across ten Norwegian electrochemical companies, started on 15 August and includes workers from Elkem plants in Salten, Rana, Thamshavn and Fiskaa, Elkem said on the day.

“Elkem is now working to evaluate the operational impacts for each plant... [which] will also be influenced by the duration of the strike,” the Norwegian silicon products and silicones supplier.

A total of 1,422 workers represented by Norway’s Industri Energi union have gone on strike, 169 of which work at Elkem Salten, 89 at Elkem Rana, 131 at Elkem Thamshavn and 46 at Elkem Carbon AS.

Elkem’s plants at Bremanger and Bjølvefossen and the company’s other activities in Norway are not included.

According to its website, Elkem’s Thamshavn facility manufactures metallurgical silicon used in the production of silicones, polysilicon, and ceramics.

The Rana site produces nine grades of speciality and standard ferrosilicon, with an annual capacity of 90 kilotonnes per annum (ktpa) of FeSi and 23ktpa of Elkem Microsilica.

Operational since 1967, the Salten site’s main products are silicon with purity in the range of 96 - 99 % and Microsilica.

The Fiskaa site manufactures carbon products, including electrode paste and synthetic graphite.