 At German reunification in 1990 EKO became a corporation (EKO Stahl GmbH) - subsequent loss of business in East Germany and eastern Europe caused serious economic problems for the company, as did the high employment rates, and relatively low value product range.During the transition to a free market model employment was reduced from over 12,000 to under 3,000.In 1994/5 Cockerill-Sambre acquired a 60% stake in the company, with the state (via the treuhandanstalt) retaining 40%.