Ethics in the digital workplace
Digitisation and automation technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), can affect working conditions in a variety of ways and their use in the workplace raises a host of new ethical concerns.
Arvedi is one of the most important European steelmakers. It has around 1,600 employees and a consolidated turnover of over 940 million euro. Arvedi has four manufacturing plants situated in northern Italy and operating in three specific sectors: (1) Acciaieria Arvedi (Cremona), manufacturer and distributor of flat rolled carbon steel products; (2) Arvedi Tubi Acciaio (Cremona) and Ilta Inox (Robecco dOglio, CR), operators respectively in the carbon steel and stainless steel tube sectors; (3) Arinox (Riva Trigoso, GE), manufacturer of re-rolled stainless steel precision strip. A considerable share of their production (on average over 30%, with points of up to 70%) is destined for foreign markets.
In September 2006, the company announced the construction of a new technology-advanced plant which will be located near Cremona. The new technology - called "Endless strip production" (Esp) and developed in cooperation with Siemens Vai, the Industrial solutions and services division of the Siemens' industrial group allows the production of high-quality and ultrathin steel coils through a process line which directly transforms the liquid steel. The new plant will be smaller than the traditional production site (170 meters of overall length instead of 2 kilometres of a traditional plant). Moreover, the Esp technology guarantees a significant reduction of energy consumptions and an increase of the steel coils' production.
The project of new Arvedi plant, which will be operative in 2008, envisages the creation of 400- 500 jobs.
Eurofound (2006), Arvedi, Business expansion in Italy, factsheet number 64135, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/64135.