Unilin will stop laminate production in Wielsbeke, West Flanders, for three weeks during the autumn and Christmas holidays. Thousands of workers are temporarily out of work. Which reports ‘De Tijd’.
The factory, where QuickStep floors are produced, employs 1,100 people. “A thousand can resort to temporary unemployment with the new energy crisis system. They keep 70 percent of their normal wages, ”spokesman Sander Laridon said.
Unilin, the European division of the American flooring giant Mohawk, sees its insulation boards still sold smoothly. Demand for parquet, laminate and vinyl flooring, on the other hand, is down 20 to 30 percent, according to the third quarter data presentation.
At the same time, commodity and energy prices are skyrocketing. “They are up from 300 to 400 percent,” Laridon says. “We feel it pretty immediately in the raw materials. For energy prices, things are going down the drain as contracts need to be renewed. “
Unlimited free access to Showbytes? Which can!
Log in or create an account and never miss a thing from the stars.
