The Vetropack Group, one of Europe's leading glass packaging manufacturers, has completed an important intermediate step in the consultation process on the future of its production site in St-Prex (VD). As agreed, employee representatives submitted their proposals with alternatives to a closure to the Vetropack Management Board on April 30. These proposals are now being examined in detail before the Board of Directors will make a final decision on the future of the site.
On March 7, 2024, the Vetropack Group launched a consultation process on the future of its production site in St-Prex. In Switzerland, such a procedure is required by law if, for instance, large numbers of job redundancies are to be expected as a result of a site closure. This is precisely the situation in St-Prex. Comprehensive analyses have shown negative competitiveness and development opportunities for the site. This situation could lead to its closure before the end of this year, resulting in the loss of a large number of jobs at the site.
It is the aim of the consultation process to evaluate the options for avoiding or limiting the number of redundancies or mitigating the consequences. “By initiating the consultation process, the Board of Directors has cleared the way for once again examining all options for the site before the final decision is made,” explains Johann Reiter, CEO of the Vetropack Group. “As Management Board, we have supported this process to the best of our ability over the past few weeks and answered all enquiries from employees promptly and as transparently as possible.”
As per the procedure, the employee representatives submitted their proposals for the future development of the site to the Group Management Board on April 30. The proposals will now be evaluated with regard to their viability – a step that is expected to take until mid-May, as Claude Cornaz, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Vetropack Group, explains: “We will take the time to examine and evaluate all proposals in detail. Only then will we make and announce a decision on the future of the production site in St-Prex.”
Regardless of the outcome of the consultation process, Vetropack has no intention of withdrawing from its home market of Switzerland. The company's headquarters will remain in Bülach and the glass recycling business (Vetrorecycling) will continue to operate with partners at the municipal level.
