Lingerie firm Marie Claire faces closure and liquidation next Monday, April 8, marking the end of a six-month process to find investors to take over the company. After two failed offers and without new proposals on the table, the situation points towards liquidation.
C2 Private Capital withdrew its offer after creditors raised objections, the unions said. Now, the Commercial Court number 1 of Castellón must decide on the bankruptcy in the coming days.
With the lack of offers in negotiation, the imminent destination seems to be liquidation, which will result in the transition from the current Temporary Employment Regulation File (ERTE), extended just over a week ago, to an Employment Regulation File ( ERE) of extinction for the 78 remaining workers at the Vilafranca del Cid (Castellón) factory.
The CCOO and UGT unions have expressed their frustration and disappointment at the withdrawal of C2 Private Capital's offer, which was originally presented as a solid project, with Spanish capital and experience in the sector. According to CCOO, it seems that everything was "a hoax", since not enough information was provided about the financial solvency and the investors involved. UGT describes the situation as frustrating and requests explanations for the withdrawal of the offer.
On March 21, the workers agreed to a three-month extension of the ERTE, until June 24, pending evaluation of a purchase offer presented by a Spanish business group that promised to maintain employment. The closure of Marie Claire will leave 78 people unemployed, with an average age of 50, in a region at risk of depopulation.
Unions regret that the brand will disappear along with the jobs, which represents a hard blow for workers and for the Els Ports region, where Marie Claire used to employ up to 900 people in the first decade of the 2000s, but has seen a gradual reduction of its activity in the last ten years. They also criticize the lack of action by the Valencian Government in maintaining the company and creating employment alternatives in the region.
The Valencian Government claims to be committed to the viability of the company and the continuity of employment, although they point out that the process is in the hands of justice. Meanwhile, opposition politicians are criticizing the regional government's lack of effective industrial policies, arguing that inaction is harming companies like Marie Claire and the region as a whole.
