Type
Closure
Country
Belgium
Region
Région wallonne; Prov. Liège; Arr. Verviers — communes francophones
Location of affected unit(s)
Welkenraedt
Sector
Manufacturing
(29 - 30) Manufacture for transport equipment
30.3 - Manufacture of air and spacecraft and related machinery
30.3 - Manufacture of air and spacecraft and related machinery

91 jobs
Number of planned job losses
Job loss
Announcement Date
8 January 2025
Employment effect (start)
8 January 2025
Foreseen end date
30 June 2025

Description

On 8 January 2025, Hexcel Corporation, a global leader in advanced lightweight composite materials, announced its intention to close its production facility in Welkenraedt, Belgium. The site, which employs 109 people, specialises in the manufacture of machined honeycomb parts for aerospace applications.

The decision follows previous rounds of redundancies in 2018 and 2020. According to the company, the Welkenraedt site has struggled to remain competitive due to intense market pressure, shifting customer preferences towards lower-cost solutions, and structural cost challenges. Although efforts were made to improve production efficiency and lower costs, Hexcel concluded that the site is no longer viable. Production will be transferred to other existing locations within the group.

A formal information and consultation process with social partners has been launched.

Updated, 08/05/2025: In May a news report reported an updated number of dismissals, mentioning a total of 91.


Sources

Citation

Eurofound (2025), Hexcel, Closure in Belgium, factsheet number 203639, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://apps.eurofound.europa.eu/restructuring-events/detail/203639.