Type
Closure
Country
Belgium
Region
Région Wallonne; Prov. Namur; Arr. Dinant
Location of affected unit(s)
Auvelais
Sector
Manufacturing
Manufacture Of Rubber And Plastic Products And Other Non-Metallic Mineral Products
Manufacture Of Other Non-Metallic Mineral Products
23.1 - Manufacture of glass and glass products
European Globalisation Fund (EGF)
Year: 2015, Case number: 7

320 jobs
Number of planned job losses
Job loss
Announcement Date
25 February 2014
Employment effect (start)
31 March 2014
Foreseen end date
30 September 2015

Description

The glass manufacturer Saint-Gobain announced its intention to close its plant at Auvelais and to cut 320 jobs at the end of February. According to management, the decision is the result of increasing competition in the sector and the needs to reduce costs in Benelux.

Trade unions have indicated that they consider the closure unacceptable and have arranged several strikes. They have also acted to defer the official announcement of closure by not attending the company works council. Belgian laws provide that restructurings have to be announced to the works council. After further refusals, unions finally agreed to attend and to hear the bad news. 

Belgian authorities applied for EGF (European Globalisation Adjustment Fund) funds on 19/08/2015.


Sources

  • 25 February 2014: RTBF
  • 25 February 2014: Le Soir
  • 25 February 2014: DH

Citation

Eurofound (2014), Saint-Gobain Glass, Closure in Belgium, factsheet number 76704, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/76704.