Marie Claire is a historic textile company based in Vilafranca, Castellon, perched at the edge of a cliff. The situation is dire, and management filed an employment regulation filing (ERE) indicating plans to terminate operations within a short period and to seek bankruptcy protection. In a bid to keep the business alive, the company is exploring investments that could allow it to continue operating with a significantly reduced workforce.
Founded in 1907, the firm has long specialized in producing pantyhose and undergarments. For months its finances have been fragile, though a public grant of 21 million euros was received at the start of the year. Earlier in the year, Marie Claire activated its tenth ERTE, affecting 140 of its 230 employees, with some workers expected to return on July 1. Ultimately, the B2TEX group, which has owned Marie Claire for just over two years, informed staff that the debt load left little choice but to close the doors. The shutdown is planned for June 20.
Els Ports, another textile enterprise in the region, faces a similar fate as negotiations for an ERE begin next week. Management has spent weeks in talks with key creditors and seeking an investment partner that would allow a narrow operation to continue. B2TEX aims to outsource some production lines and maintain a small team of 30 to 40 people in Vilafranca. The company acknowledges that the plan carries substantial risks and has communicated this to workers, many of whom feared a strike was inevitable.
He says the company has a plan.
While Marie Claire management told staff that the ERE was a compulsory measure, B2TEX describes its approach as a financial and operational restructuring intended to relaunch the brand. In a forthcoming statement, the firm promises a June launch and a roadmap to bring products back to market. The declared goal is to secure the long term viability of the business by addressing five years of accumulated obligations and by outsourcing certain production lines to improve competitiveness amid high production costs in Spain. The plan will be paired with a staff restructuring to match the new operational footprint.
Where is the public aid?
The news that Marie Claire may shut down has landed hard on workers, including many who have dedicated decades to the company, and on residents of the Els Ports area. The Generalitat Valenciana previously injected 21 million euros to support a company seen as vital to the province’s interior economy, with 9.5 million coming in June 2021 and 12 million in the same month of 2022. The company itself notes that the aid helped settle outstanding debts with workers and suppliers rather than funding a restart. A portion of the funds did not go toward new machinery or production upgrades, and softer demand for tights and underwear, along with rising costs, contributed to the downturn.
With a smaller operation, the business faces an uphill battle, but management remains hopeful that restructuring and continued negotiations could preserve some production and local employment. The outcome will depend on securing investors capable of financing a leaner, more efficient operation and on the market’s willingness to re-embrace the brand. The region watches closely as workers, communities, and local authorities await decisive steps toward sustainability. [Citation: Regional government reports on aid and company restructuring]