Duralex: the court approved the SCOP project of the worker, almost 230 jobs saved

2024-07-29 09:42:20

They are saved! The 230 employees of Duralex have finally decided on their fate. The Orléans commercial court, after analyzing three acquisition offers, approved this Friday morning the SCOP project of the workers of the French glass factory known throughout the world for its timeless tableware.

Workers and trade unions, fell from the end of April to the greatest uncertainty about their future, after their company was placed in receivership, hoping for a positive outcome.

Last week, the commercial court studied for six long hours three collection files filed to restart Duralex, the flagship of the French company which employs almost 230 people in La Chapelle-Saint- Mesmin (Loiret), a gathering in the agglomeration of Orléans.

Among the three offers, the proposal of the Cooperative Production Center (Scop) is the best in terms of services, supported by 60% of the workforce and supported by the site management. One hundred and fifty employees of the company have even invested “500 euros from their own pockets”, according to the CFDT, the majority union. In addition, this Scop project receives the support of local elected officials. The city of Orléans has offered to buy the glass factory, for an amount estimated between 5 and 8 million euros, to help convince the banks to finance the acquisition. The Center-Val de Loire region has also promised its support in the form of a bank guarantee and by doubling the capital contribution of workers.

This project provides for the care of all workers and has received the support of the elected representatives of the region with those of the community, who have promised their support in the form of a bank guarantee.

CGT of Duralex against Scop

The decision of the commercial court of Orléans was greeted with applause in the courtroom. What remains to be seen is the conversion to Scop of Duralex. The CGT has positioned itself before the hearing in favor of a corporate solution. “We fear that the supply of the company will be controlled and that Scop will be delayed only for political reasons,” announced the CGT elected official from Duralex. CGT supports the offer from the company Tourres et Cie, owned by Stéphanie and Adrien Tourres, owners of two other glass works: Waltersperger (Seine-Maritime) and La Rochère (Haute-Saône). This option plans to eliminate around 50 jobs but the team thinks it is more economical.