The manufacturer of copper tubes Tréfimétaux has announced an
"industrial reorganization project for the Fromelennes site (Ardennes), which would provide for 119 redundancies"
, its administrative and financial director Philippe Carel told AFP on Friday.
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A 100% subsidiary of the multinational group of Italian origin KME, which specializes in the manufacture of copper products, Tréfimétaux currently employs 294 people in France, including nearly 260 at its Ardennes site.
According to the project presented Thursday to the unions, the factory would retain only its foundry and would cease its activities related to the production of copper tubes, intended mainly to serve as pipes for the building.
Tréfimétaux justifies this reorganization by its economic difficulties, with
"extremely negative results of nearly 11 million euros of loss per year in recent years"
, according to Philippe Carel.
Anger of local MP
He points in particular to the loss of market share and the sharp rise in the price of his raw material:
“More and more of our customers are abandoning copper tubing for materials such as PVC, PEX or multilayers”.
The deputy of the Ardennes Pierre Cordier (LR) told AFP on Friday of his
"cold anger"
in the face of
"a human tragedy for the employees concerned and their families".
He also evokes
"a new blow for employment in the Meuse valley",
"at a time when we are talking about the reindustrialization of France".
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The member remembers the relocation plan for Cycles Mercier, which aborted last July when it planned to create nearly 270 jobs.
Tréfimétaux will organize a new meeting with the unions on January 25 to
“present all the economic arguments and all the social measures envisaged”
, specifies Philippe Carel.
