Carpet manufacturer Beaulieu announced Thursday that the finishing line of its needle felting division in Oostrozebeke will be closed by the end of 2026. This threatens 76 employees to lose their jobs, mainly workers involved in storage and finishing. The production of needle felt, however, will continue. De Tijd reports.
© Beaulieu
Needle felt is a non-woven type of carpet used at fairs and in industry, among other places. According to trade union ACV Metea, the closure is due to a shrinking market and structural overcapacity. In addition, Beaulieu already has a similar operation in Kruisem, where operations are now being centralised. In that site, 30 vacancies will become available.
The company, led for a year by CEO Jean-Baptiste Deruyck, says the operation is necessary to ensure long-term efficiency, cost-effectiveness and competitiveness.
For the affected employees, some of whom have been employed for decades, the news is a severe blow. "These redundancies affect people who have worked here for 30 years," said union representative Renilde Rommens. The Renault Act applies, which means a formal consultation and negotiation process will follow. The first phase will start next week, after which talks on a social plan will take place.
The closure in Oostrozebeke is part of a broader series of restructurings at Beaulieu. Previously, activities in Komen, where production moved to Comines in France, and in Wielsbeke, where production of luxury vinyl tiles, mats and carpets was stopped, disappeared. In the process, hundreds of jobs were lost in recent years.
Source: De Tijd
