After World War II (1939–45) François de Wendel put his energy into rebuilding the Meurthe-et-Moselle metallurgical factories, and was also interested in the coal industry of Limburg in the Netherlands. His evaluation of the steel works around Hayange was that they were very antiquated, and were not worth a large investment in modernization. He wrote of the Pâtural plant in Hayange in May 1946, "If things depended solely on me, I would rebuild almost as it was ... I would strive, by reducing to a minimum the modifications brought to the previous construction, to build this furnace as quickly and as economically as possible. But it is important to remember that our projects will have to be approved by the Professional Office of the Steel Industry and that if we do not adopt a crucible diameter of 5.250 meters, we risk being considered retrogressives." In January 1947 François de Wendel told the president of the Nancy Chamber of Commerce that proposals to undertake a major expansion of the steel industry were "both dishonest and foolish." In 1947 Konrad Adenauer and Robert Pferdmenges proposed to invite French companies to take controlling interests in major Ruhr steel producers. François de Wendel dismissed this plan out of hand when he was approached in November 1947. François de Wendel died in Paris on 13 January 1949. He was replaced by his son, Henri.