ExxonMobil and Villeroy & Boch announce job cuts in Belgium
US chemical company ExxonMobil is set to cut 337 jobs in Belgium as part of a restructure of its European operations. On the same day, ceramics manufacturer Villeroy & Boch announced plans to close a factory in Belgium, putting 60 jobs at risk.
In a press release on Tuesday, ExxonMobil announced that it is restructuring its European operations in order to maintain competitiveness and create value for shareholders. The company expects to cut around 1,200 jobs in the European Union and Norway by the end of 2027.
In Belgium, the restructuring will mainly affect the Brussels head office. The company also operates two polyethylene plants, a refinery and a petrochemical site in the port of Antwerp.
One in five jobs
Dalila Maïzi of the ACV trade union said that management had announced plans to cut 202 of the 502 jobs at its Brussels head office. “At the moment, the reasons are still very vague,” she said. A further 135 jobs will be cut at sites across the country.
In total, one in five ExxonMobil employees in Belgium will lose their jobs. "We want thorough information and social consultation on these drastic measures at all sites," said the trade unions ABVV and ACV.
“A social plan for all employees involved and affected must be agreed upon, and guarantees must be provided regarding future job security. Meanwhile, ExxonMobil is raking in profits and subsidies,” they added.
Unattractive for investment
In recent years, ExxonMobil has closed or sold nineteen production sites in Europe. A few weeks ago, the Financial Times reported that the company was considering selling plants in Belgium and the United Kingdom.
According to the company, Europe is currently unattractive for investment. It claims that regulations are stricter than in other parts of the world, driving up costs and making it difficult to compete.
60 jobs at risk
On the same day that ExxonMobil announced its plans, the German ceramics manufacturer Villeroy & Boch revealed its intention to close its acrylic factory in Roeselare, West Flanders, which would put 60 jobs at risk.
In a press release, the company stated that the factory closure, which will be carried out in phases next year, is necessary in order to "optimise operations, streamline capacity, and improve long-term profitability and growth".
Complete surprise
The announcement came as a complete surprise to the staff, said ACV trade unionist Wayne Heernaert. "The company was still making a profit and took good care of its employees. There was no indication that a closure was imminent."
The factory slated for closure produces bathtubs and shower trays. The company has promised to support the affected employees with severance pay and assistance in finding new jobs.
ExxonMobil oil refinery in the port of Antwerp © BELGA PHOTO PETER DE VOECHT
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