Paris (AFP)

Continue the production of tires in Bethune while retaining more than half of the employees: this is the "scenario" proposed Monday by the French government to the Japanese manufacturer Bridgestone to avoid a closure of this site in northern France.

This industrial project, based on expertise from Accenture, provides for on-site production of 3 million high-quality tires and would avoid more than half of the 843 layoffs announced.

It presupposes restructuring, 100 million euros of investment and 25 to 40% productivity gains.

This scenario would relate to the "elimination of 300 to 400 jobs, or 460 to 560 jobs maintained," said the Ministry of Industry, which had initially spoken of 400 jobs saved.

The Minister Delegate in charge of Industry Agnès Pannier-Runacher presented it to about forty employee representatives and local elected officials during a meeting of more than two hours in Bercy.

"We asked Bridgestone to take the time to explore this additional scenario," said Agnès Pannier-Runacher.

"We will not let this happen, we will fight to give an industrial future to this site. (...) I hope that our Japanese friends measure what is at stake at the human level in Béthune".

Mid-September, Bridgestone had suddenly announced the "final cessation" of the activity of the site, which employs more than 860 people, by 2021, citing an overcapacity of production in Europe and competition from low-cost Asian brands.

- "constructive" meeting -

According to Accenture's second opinion, "the tire market in Europe is difficult, the figures reported by Bridgestone are valid and the scenarios they looked at were not economically viable. But there is a scenario that it is interesting to dig, "continued Agnès Pannier-Runacher.

The management of Bridgestone assured to have "agreed to examine with Accenture its viability during the coming weeks", while continuing to negotiate the social measures for the employees and to seek possible buyers.

"Accenture has begun to explore the possibility of maintaining part of the activity, at the cost of a significant reduction in the size and workforce of the site and a significant increase in productivity," the group said in a statement.

"This possibility is nevertheless based on assumptions which need to be detailed and worked on."

"It was a constructive meeting, it feels good to feel supported," said Stéphane Ducrocq, the lawyer representing the employees of Bridgestone.

"We hope to go towards something other than this closure".

"Our big fear today is the passage of time," he continued.

"The closure, if it does, is scheduled for May 2. They could walk us around for three or four months and eventually shut down."

- "Arm wrestling" -

"Bridgestone in Japan needs to tell us how they respond. The Japanese are still very attached to their reputation, they need to be careful (how) it goes," said the president (ex-LR ) from Hauts-de-France, Xavier Bertrand.

"If it is not, we will enter into a standoff to obtain the maximum for the site and the employees. We are not leaving like that, in France," he added.

According to him, the State and local communities could support a new industrial project, at a height of more than "10, 20 or 30%" if we have a project that holds up ".

"We must succeed in convincing the European management to rework this scenario with us. We will have to compact, work on the reclassification of part of the employees. We must also put pressure on the Japanese management," for his part declared the mayor (UDI) of Béthune Olivier Gacquerre, evoking a possible "boycott" of Bridgestone products.

According to him, "the local manager is completely disqualified, he only plays the closing of the factory".

"The trade unions and the employees behaved absolutely exemplary", greeted the Minister in charge of Industry.

"All the work continued to be done on time. This image of professionalism, commitment to the site, and high standards of Bridgestone (...) allow us to move forward".

© 2020 AFP