The Smurfit Kappa paper mill at Le Pontet, in the Vaucluse region of France, is facing possible closure by February 2024.
The Smurfit Kappa group is considering a plan to safeguard jobs, which would involve reallocating some production to other sites in France. Management confirms the closure project, citing the Le Pontet site as aging and less profitable.
Employees, worried about their 55 jobs, will find out more at a meeting of the social and economic committee in Lyon on November 21. The unions claim that nothing has been done to avoid closure, pointing to periods of downtime and changes of suppliers. Employees are expressing their frustration, believing that they do not represent much for the company.
Management justifies the closure project on the grounds of a complex competitive environment, proposing social support measures for affected employees.
