Marie Claire is pursuing a rescue plan to extend its operations, even though the scale would be smaller than in its peak years. Based in Vilafranca, Castellón, the company has signaled that it will resume activities at the start of the week and is actively seeking new funding arrangements. If the refinancing does not come through soon, the plant could shut down on June 20. Talks with several investors are underway to take a stake in the business and inject capital necessary for a revised plan. In the United States and Canada, stakeholders watching European manufacturing recoveries see this as a case study of liquidity management and strategic retooling during industry downturns.
According to sources close to the negotiations, the company is weighing offers from mutual funds, external partners, and international backers, with the expectation that the operation could continue. The intent behind these investments is to supply roughly three million euros to execute the redesigned business strategy under favorable terms with suppliers. Should these talks fail to yield an agreement, Marie Claire remains confident that the project can be saved, although balancing the accounts would become even more challenging. Analysts in Canada and the United States note that such financing rounds often determine the pace at which production can resume and how quickly payroll and supplier terms can stabilize.
The revival plan rests on three pillars, with investor entry representing the final one. The first and most critical pillars are renegotiating the debt from creditors, including the 21 million loan extended by IVF, and addressing the workforce through an employment regulation process (ERE) that would involve negotiations with worker representatives. As of Monday, the company planned to initiate these ERE discussions, affecting a significant portion of staff. Roughly 60 percent of the workforce could be impacted: from about 280 employees across Vilafranca and satellite offices in Castellón and Valencia, around 120 might be reassigned or laid off. The most severe scenario would hit the Els Ports factory hardest, with only 40 to 50 workers remaining in production and about twenty in logistics. This restructuring mirrors challenges seen in other European plants facing similar refinancing hurdles and workforce adjustments under regulatory review.
Marie Claire sees continuity as feasible, but has fewer than 50 employees
The execution of the two core pillars, debt renegotiation and ERE, hinges on IVF’s consent. One condition for the 21 million loan is that any dismissal would require authorization from regional authorities, who are awaiting the proposal before granting funds. In practice, this means a close alignment between financial backers, regional governance, and the company’s management to keep the plant viable while protecting workers’ rights and ensuring a fair transition where needed.
Vilafranca mobilized to save the factory
The prospect of closure has sent shockwaves through the Els Ports region and prompted the City Council to act. Local leadership has urged rapid, practical steps to preserve the factory and maintain jobs. In an extraordinary plenary session on Thursday afternoon, all three political groups on the Vilafranca City Council endorsed a formal declaration calling for the factory to remain open. The Castellón Provincial Assembly and Government outlined two clear aims: first, that the company fulfill its commitments with the administration and keep industrial activity in the municipality; second, that management support Vilafranca and Marie Claire and actively pursue new financing routes while backing an industrial regeneration plan. Community leaders emphasize that public institutions should coordinate with private investors to reinforce the plant’s future and protect local livelihoods.
Vilafranca’s mayor, Silvia Colom, read the statement aloud and reminded workers that the business had received public aid to preserve employment, underscoring the community’s solidarity with the workforce. Separately, Vilafranca Espai de Comerç i Serveis — an association representing the majority of local firms — publicly urged the company to push for its future and asked management to consider positive actions that would help keep the factory alive. Local business groups stress the importance of a clear recovery path, transparent funding terms, and ongoing dialogue with workers to ensure a fair and stable restart for the plant. These actions reflect a broader metropolitan effort to maintain manufacturing capacity in the region and signal to investors in North America that the area remains supportive of industrial resilience.