After hearing the different parties on September 23, the commercial court of Sedan (Ardennes) placed the forging and stamping unit of the Meuse Valley (135 employees in Bogny-sur-Meuse) in receivership and the Vouziers factory (90 employees) in suspension of payments.
Bought by Walor in November 2018 after the liquidation of the financial company Ateliers des Janves when they employed 320 employees, then backed by the German equipment manufacturer Mutares from November 2023, the two SMEs saw their situation deteriorate over time. months. The fault lies in a complicated general context in the automobile industry, the obsolescence of machine parks and a glaring lack of investment which has resulted in a loss of reliability among historical customers. The successive business plans put in place by the French and German buyers failed despite the state aid they received to move towards electricity.
“We feel we have been pushed aside”
Supplier of heavy-duty connecting rods for Volvo and differential boxes for light vehicles, the largest employer in Vouziers founded in 1965 and which still achieved 18 million euros in turnover in 2020 appears, today, the most threat. Unable to meet its due liabilities (nearly 600,000 euros) with its available assets (113,000 euros), it is in an observation period until November 21, 2024. “Here, the cash flow is dry and we are unemployed one day a week. This situation remains incomprehensible for employees who feel they have been sidelined», summarizes Bruno Bodson, CFDT union representative at AMI.
Former French leader in the manufacture of connecting rods for thermal engines for automobiles, its sister and former parent company in Bogny-sur-Meuse, which is due to celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2025, finds itself in safeguard procedure. “The Bogny-sur-Meuse factory has suffered for quite a few years from a lack of interest from all of its various departments to rehabilitate the industrial facilities and put in place the necessary capacities to honor customer orders.», Analyzes a former employee.
The employees of the two sites, which at one time numbered more than 400 people, are waiting for a strong sign from the leaders of the Germanic group to find a buyer for both companies and avoid a complete fiasco. Among the project leaders is the company Forgex, based in Monthermé (Ardennes). Also located in Nogent-en-Bassigny (Haute-Marne) in Poland and Sweden, this company employing more than 200 people and supported by the American group X Forge has officially positioned itself by making a takeover offer for the two companies.
Source: www.usinenouvelle.com
