More than a month after the Duralex company was placed in receivership, the future of the emblematic glassware of French industry will be examined Wednesday afternoon at the Orléans Commercial Court in order to determine whether “a takeover is possible, or not.
Four takeover proposals were studied Tuesday morning during an extraordinary meeting of the corporate social committee (CSE) at Duralex headquarters, in La Chapelle-Saint-Mesmin (Loiret), we learned from union sources.
Among the letters of intent submitted are two banks, an investment fund as well as a cooperative and participatory company (Scop), in which nearly 130 employees have declared themselves ready to each invest 500 euros.
For the moment, two of the takeover proposals present “real industrial content”, which would allow “continuation of production” within the company, François Bonneau, president of the Center region, detailed to AFP -Loire valley.
This is a point to which the local authorities concerned are “very attached” given “the important part of the industrial history of our region” that Duralex represents, he assured.
“However, none of the offers are complete, serious or successful,” declared a union Source to AFP, estimating that only the Scop would make it possible, for the moment, to “take back all the social assets and maintain the all 227 jobs” of the company.
If no details on the identity of the potential buyers have been communicated by the judicial administrators, the latter have declared themselves in favor of an “extension of the deadline for formulating offers for a period of several weeks”, a request which will be presented Wednesday at the Orléans Commercial Court.
During this same hearing, the first confidential report of the judicial representative and the judicial administrators, appointed on April 24 by the court for an observation period of six months, will be studied behind closed doors.
This will involve studying “the situation of the company and its prospects”, “making an economic and social assessment” and knowing “if the company can cover the costs and if we can look for a buyer”, specified with from AFP a judicial Source.
– Government support? –
Two options are now available to the glassworks for its future: either Duralex has the means to continue its activity and it is heading towards a sale, or liquidation will have to be considered.
“We hope to have as little social disruption as possible,” declared a union representative, before emphasizing that employees “were starting to get used to this type of situation.”
Known throughout the world for its reputedly unbreakable glasses and plates, the company which presents itself on its website as “the Eiffel Tower of tableware” had taken employees, unions and public authorities by surprise by once again asking to be placed in receivership at the end of April, three years after a previous procedure.
“Duralex has been in difficulty for quite a few years,” conceded the company’s new CEO, Géraldine Fiacre, in an interview with the regional daily La République du Center in April.
The government then assured “to be ready to support Duralex” if “a solid takeover offer emerges”.
A promise of rescue which is reminiscent of the loan of 15 million euros made by the State in 2022, when the glassworks was in difficulty after the surge in energy prices following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
