France’s government appears resigned to the closure of Goodyear’s Amiens Nord site in the Picardy region, with the loss of up to 1,200 jobs.
The tyre manufacturer’s CGT union has been waging a campaign against the factory shutting for a considerable time, noting the site had been the subject of a “judicial battle for five years,” but Goodyear prevously insisted to just-auto closure was “the only option they had left.”
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Some 57 companies around the world that could potentially be suitable for a takeover were contacted by the French Agency for International Investement (AFII), of which eight declared themselves interested.
Of these eight companies, five signed confideniality agreements and two non-binding offers were presented, but France’s Economic Redevelopment Ministry said “after careful examination of the plans put forward,” no candidates were in a position to present a binding offer.
“Taking into account the major impact of Goodyear withdrawing on staff and the region’s economy, we have asked the company to propose solutions allowing workers who will be made redundant to find another job as quickly as possible,” said a statement from the Economic Redevelopment Ministry.
“The State will commit itself to be with the regions and workers, to support reindustrilsiaton projects it will initiate to save the most jobs possible.”
Goodyear Amiens Nord was not immediately available for comment.
