In difficulty since the energy crisis of 2022, the Orléans commercial court decided, Wednesday April 24, to place the French glassmaker Duralex in receivership, with an observation period of six months, Agence France learned. Press (AFP), at the court.
During a hearing that lasted just over an hour, the court appointed two legal representatives, and adjourned the case until June 5. “The court hopes to find a buyer” for the French company in difficulty, a magistrate explained to the press at the end of the hearing.
At the hearing, during which the professional judges took turns hearing two elected officials from the social and economic committee (CSE) per representative union, as well as the management of the French company, the employees “have asked for explanations, which we are still waiting for”commented to AFP François Dufranne, employee of Duralex since 1992 and elected CGT.
“They try to do what they can for us”
While waiting for the next hearing, the two agents appointed “are going to take stock of the situation”continued the CGT unionist at the end of the hearing. “We’ll know more later. They try to do what they can for us.”he added, specifying that the 230 employees would “to be able to continue working”.
Duralex had suffered the full brunt of the surge in gas prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and had been temporarily saved by a state loan of 15 million euros, which had made it possible to reopen its glass furnace and restart its production, after five months of closure.
However, in fiscal year 2023, “new difficulties have emerged”attributable to inflation, a consumer environment “in sharp decline” and to a “exacerbated competition”specifies the company, adding that, “despite operational efforts and continued investments, the losses could not be stemmed”.