In judicial recovery for a period of six months since last September, while its main shareholder, the Thai PTT Global Chemical, threw in the towel, the chemist Vencorex, whose main production site is based in Pont-de-Claix (Isère), south of the Grenoble metropolitan area, was firmly awaiting the filing of the first trade-in offers.
After a glimmer of hope at the start of the week, the unions are now on alert, since only one buyer has finally positioned itself, and its offer turns out to be very limited: it is BorsodChem, a Hungarian subsidiary of the group Chinese chemist Wanhua. Leader in polyurethane, this Vencorex competitor participated in the price war on this market and would now only offer to take over one activity at the Isère site, the tolonate workshop. That is, only 25 of 450 jobs at stake.
News that sends shock waves through the Grenoble ecosystem, and in particular the Pont-de-Claix chemical platform, from which Vencorex derives a large part of the activity. And for good reason: the Pont-de-Claix factory, which originally produces isocyanates, these substances used as hardeners for paints or varnishes, is also a supplier of salts which supply large French chemical groups (Arkema , Engie) as well as companies in the space sector.
A single buyer for a portion of the activity
« We were hopeful of having several offers, deploree Carole Fruit, general secretary CFDT Chimie Energie Dauphiné Vivarais, contacted by The Tribune. Especially since there were several visitors. We thought that salt would be the most popular activity…” But ultimately, for this part of Vencorex's production, no buyer came forward, with BorsodChem focusing solely on tolonates (components for paints and varnishes). “ And this offer contains restrictions, with conditions precedent, warns Carole Fruit. In particular being able to buy salts. » However, no buyer at the moment, which gives unions fear that the offer is not viable.
The chlorine and soda activities would remain without buyers, while behind the scenes, potential buyers would have positioned themselves, without making a firm offer at this stage, on the salt production activity. But would like discussions to continue.
Vencorex: unions toughen their tone while no buyer has yet been announced
On Wednesday, the unions spoke by videoconference with the teams of the Minister of Industry, Marc Ferracci. Several avenues were mentioned, including an improvement in the offer and more job guarantees. Bercy should also contact other potential buyers again in order to identify why they ultimately did not submit an offer. Finally, it would be a question of putting pressure on Arkema for the takeover. During the discussion, the question of decontamination of the site and its management was addressed.
A situation which had brought to the fore the president (various left) of the Grenoble Metropolis, and mayor of Pont-de-Claix, Christophe Ferrari, with a warning: « If this single solution were to be adopted, 440 jobs would be immediately eliminated. It would constitute a life-threatening danger for the entire Pont-de-Claix site and would endanger the entire chemical industry in southern Grenoble, including the Jarrie chemical platform. ».
The Grenoble metropolis also took the opportunity to once again challenge the State, so that it “ is doing everything possible to avoid the closure of an industrial flagship” by emphasizing two avenues: “ firstly extend the deadline for submitting offers in order to encourage the emergence of new solutions “, but also ” to support manufacturers present on the interdependent platforms of Pont-de-Claix and Jarrie, to urgently guarantee the sustainability of their activities, their supplies and the collective management of the platforms. With particular attention paid to the future of activities linked to salt, aiming to “ avoid a domino effect on the whole sector”.
Strike notice and domino effect
On the union side, the battle has only just begun: as of this Wednesday, employee representatives have called for mobilization at their Pont-de-Claix site, with an indefinite strike launched at the call of the inter-union, from early afternoon.
« Vencorex France will not comment on the strike, which reflects a certain emotion and great disappointment among employees. Disappointment is found at all levels of the company, including management. (…) We were clearly hoping for more offers, precise to The Tribune the management of Vencorex France. And the question of salt remains unresolved. Even though we have not received a specific offer, two companies have expressed the wish to continue discussing the matter.”
At the same time, BorsodChem's offer and its conditions precedent are being studied by the receiver and the management of Vencorex. The latter will size the offer in terms of workforce “ beyond the 26 workstations announced, we must add all the support services which could find their place in a GIE type structure. With the hope of saving a certain number of jobs.
Isère: Vencorex's difficulties raise fears of a domino effect on the chemical platform
Not far from there, on the neighboring Jarrie chemical platform, Arkema employees, united for the first time on the site as an inter-union organization, also launched a strike on Wednesday at 8 p.m. With a general meeting scheduled for this Thursday morning. “ We denounce the fact that Arkema does not take a position on the acquisition of Vencorex, as well as the violent remarks of management, which affirms that “if Vencorex falls, Arkema falls”, explains Stéphane Vigne, elected CGT and secretary of the CSE. For weeks, we have been told that this is under discussion. Except that we absolutely do not know the content of the remarks, nothing comes of it.” The factory's three productions are therefore at a standstill, due to the strike movement.
The question of salt, at the center of the file
« Like any industrial reconfiguration in chemistry, it is a file that is technical and complex, it takes a lot of time,” confides Arkema management, contacted by The Tribune. The company has not submitted a takeover offer, but has taken the time to study and look at the possibilities.
Arkema now specifies that its teams “ are working and studying the different scenarios to ensure a supply of salt. The company calls for a transition period, operated by PTT GC, which goes beyond the end of the year. “ We are also victims of their behavior,” we specify within management. Arkema remains in contact with the State and should also speak soon with the receiver of Vencorex.
The Arkema de Jarrie site, which employs 340 people, depends directly on the salts produced by Vencorex. “ If we do not have salts, the chlorine-soda electrolysis does not work, we have no hydrogen, therefore no hydrogen peroxide. Without salts, we have no chlorate, therefore no hydrogen either, nor perchlorate for Ariane », explains the union delegate. He continues: “ and then, 90 RSA employees depend on us, just like those at Framatome.”
« This is the beginning of the domino effect that we feared,” worries Carole Fruit.
In addition to the Pont-de-Claix and Jarrie chemical platforms and their subcontractors, which between them employ nearly a thousand employees and several thousand indirect jobs, it is those of Roussillon and St-Fons which could be impacted. The CFDT therefore fears for 5,000 people across the entire chain.
The union representatives will be received this Friday at the Ministry of the Economy. On the Vencorex side, a progress report is planned by the Lyon commercial court on November 6. From next Tuesday, discussions will open with trade union organizations on social support.
The Pont-de-Claix platforms, in figures
The Pont-de-Claix platform, which extends over 121 hectares, brings together Vencorex, Suez, Air Liquide, Solvay and Sequens, which respectively employ approximately 460, 50, 25, 30 and 25 employees. That is nearly 600 employees, plus 150 jobs from external companies, permanently present on the platform. One million tonnes of raw materials are used there each year, with annual investments of between 20 and 40 million euros.
