INFO EUROPE 1
The rumor had been running for several months already. It is now official, Saint-Gobain wants to get rid of Lapeyre. The DIY chain, in difficulty, has struggled to recover for several years. According to information from Europe 1, the unions were informed on September 25, at the time of the launch of the sales process.
The fear of a social break
Officially, if Saint-Gobain is a seller, it is because the group considers that it is no longer a strategic activity. But unofficially, if Saint-Gobain sells, it's mainly because Lapeyre is not doing well. The turnaround of the DIY chain is taking longer than expected. And the reason is simple for one of the unions: everyone knows Lapeyre, but no one knows why they should come to their homes. Excluding Lapeyre, today there are 3,600 employees, 128 stores and activities for both professionals and individuals.
Hence the concern of Hervé Grillon, delegate CGT Lapeyre who points two major risks. The first in case of recovery, because if a buyer buys a company, "it is to make profit" according to him. The second in case of no offer to buy, Hervé Grillon alert then about the fate of employees, because there will necessarily be "adjustments". But in any case, for the shop steward, the purpose is a risk of "social breakage".
Saint-Gobain wants to be reassuring. In high places, it is stated that this is only the beginning of the process, and that no calendar is yet defined at this stage.