(PRESS RELEASE) PADUA — Safilo announced plans to close its production site in Ormož, Slovenia, starting in June 2021.
The Italian eyewear maker stated that 557 employees will be affected. The closure is part of a plan to “realign the group’s industrial capacity to current and future production needs,” according to a press release.
“This intervention follows the actions taken in Italy in 2020, which involved the closure of the Martignacco production site and the reorganization of the Longarone site, which is still ongoing,” the company stated.
“The already complex situation of the Ormož site in terms of reduction of volumes — due to the termination of the licensing agreements for major brands and the ever-growing trend towards acetate products, a material appreciated by optical customers and consumers for its quality and prestige — has been worsened by the Covid-19 pandemic and has led to structural imbalances which are not sustainable for the years to come.”
Safilo stated that it is opening discussion with trade unions and institutions “to identify all possible solutions in order to mitigate any social impacts of this painful scenario.”