The deletions of sites at Michelin and Auchan are “eminently worrying”, reacts the Minister of the Economy

Antoine Armand raises his voice. The Minister of Economy, Finance and Industry estimated Tuesday during a trip to Pas-de-Calais that the site closures announced by Michelin and Auchan were “obviously extremely worrying”. Concerning Auchan, which plans to cut 2,389 jobs in France, the State will ensure that “employment remains at the heart of the strategy” of the group and by the way “that the priority of this transformation is indeed employment”declared the minister in Calais, where he marked the State's takeover of 80% of the submarine cable manufacturer ASN, a former division of Alcatel held since 2015 by the Finnish Nokia.

Mr. Armand also said “regret” Michelin's decision to close its Cholet (Maine-et-Loire) and Vannes (Morbihan) factories by 2026, which have a total of 1,254 employees. “The State will have extraordinarily strong vigilance” regarding the reclassification of “all employees” affected and will “everything possible to help find a buyer” for one or both sites, the minister promised again.