A CRISIS at Germany’s biggest steelmaker has deepened with the abrupt departure of seven company directors.

About 1,000 steelworkers rallied at the gates of Thyssenkrupp’s Duisburg plant on Thursday, protesting against threats to halve steel production and cut jobs.

Thyssenkrupp steel division chief executive Bernard Osburg and supervisory board chairman Sigmar Gabriel have resigned, along with five other directors, in protest at the handling of a potential takeover by Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky, who also has his sights on Britain’s Royal Mail.