Marie Claire and Vilafranca have always walked hand in hand.. The last 116 years of this town of Els are in Ports population of just over 2,200 They went hand in hand with a company that employed a thousand people in the boom years, was the world leader in underwear manufacturing, and invented the famous slogan of one pantyhose for every woman. that’s why he The company announced that it will cease operations on June 20 if it is unable to refinance its debt and find new investors in advance. It left the region in shock. And reassurance from both staff and neighbors that the decision did not surprise them. “You could see it coming. death announced“They match.
The B2TEX group, which has owned Marie Claire for two years, notified workers’ representatives on Tuesday its intention to cease operation, file for bankruptcy and file for bankruptcy at the end of June. A employment regulation file (ERE) termination that will affect the entire workforce: 280 professionals214 of them at the Vilafranca factory. “The company tells us that it will fight to the last minute to not be shut down, but it is also aware that the situation is unsustainable. We all know that the chances of its plan to succeed are slim. More chances to win the lottery Rather than saving Marie Claire. I hope we are wrong, but we have three weeks to live,” the union delegates insist, insisting that the closure will be a “time bomb” for the region.
Yes, inside the factory (staff have been working at ERTE for six months and currently only 90 people in Vilafranca) pessimism and intimidation prevailing tendencyOn the street, everyone takes it for granted that Marie Claire has disappeared. “We’re tired. No one was surprised by this ending, but still very angry. With the death of the company, this town will lose its economic power, and the population decline will accelerate if we have less neighbors.” several residents of the municipality were stunned by the media response to the news. “This town looks like the Sálvame set. There are television cameras everywhere,” they exclaim.
José Ramón Ibáñez is another person who believes that the end of the historical banner has been written for a long time. “what seemed to happen happened. It’s very sad but that’s what it is. Because the decision is in the hands of others, we can do very little,” says this neighbor.
Among those who cannot hide their sadness is Patricia Pons. This villafranquina argues that the closure of the historic textile factory is the worst news for its municipality. “The consequences for people and surrounding municipalities will be deadly,” she explains. something more could be done what was done to save the company.
Without industry, the city dies.
Juanjo Gil, Enrique Mestre and José Miguel Monfort explore the likely repercussions of Marie Claire’s closure on the municipality. “We knew the company was going bad, but we hoped it would be successful with the official help it received.They are also aware that the textile industry is going through a very difficult period. “It’s impossible to compete with China,” they argue as they talk about what the disappearance of textiles will mean for both Vilafranca and neighboring towns. Where at least a dozen workers come from, such as the Iglesuela del Cid and Mosqueruela, currently in Teruel province. there will be no one here in the end.” The three agree.
In Vilafranca, those not working at Marie Claire have a partner on staff, a son, a father, or a cousin. Currently retired Vicente García, José Vicente Tena and Carlos Monfort belong to the ex-workers group. “It is very sad that it is closed. For years we lived outside the factory “This region has progressed thanks to him, while reminding us of the glorious years when the brand was known worldwide and dozens of workers from all over the region came to the factory by buses every day.”
SOS from the municipality
despite the words sadness, pity, or grief They are the most repeated, and there are neighbors who argue that neither the company nor the public administration need to give up. “If the company, as they say, can’t survive, they have to find a way to make it useful and keep things going. There’s a whole plant here and some machinery that could do something else,” says another passer-by.
Silvia Colom, the socialist mayor of Vilafranca, also does not want to cross her arms and call to join forcesfrom both company management and administrations to “find a financial solution that prevents company closure and preserves the maximum number of jobs”.
Colom announced on Thursday that he is holding a meeting for today. extraordinary general emergency meeting to approve a corporate declaration About Marie Claire. “We must continue to seek actions to reinvigorate the industry and find an investor who supports the project to relaunch the Marie Claire brand,” he said.