February 22, 2022 |
Social
The Alsatian company Caddie has been in receivership since January 4, 2022. But although its fate is uncertain, the employees continue to fight. On the front line: Luc Strohmenger, CFTC union representative, who thanks to his nerve and his investment obtained nearly 400,000 euros in public loans. Meet…
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If in ten years you are still pushing a shopping cart in your supermarket, you can thank the CFTC. Since January 4, the Alsatian company that manufactures the famous supermarket trolleys has been in receivership for the third time in ten years. But Luc Strohmenger, CFTC union representative at the Caddie factory in Dettwiller, and secretary of the CSE, obtained, on January 25, 400,000 euros in public loans.. Without this aid, his company risked going into liquidation before the end of its observation period, set for February 22. The 142 employees of the factory would then have all been dismissed, and it would perhaps have been the end of the famous Caddie.
When he learned that Emmanuel Macron was going to Strasbourg on January 19, Luc Strohmenger decided to question him about the situation of his company. The CFTC and the other trade union organizations were interviewed by an adviser to the President of the Republic, accompanied by a representative of the Bas-Rhin prefecture. Six days later, Luc Strohmenger was in videoconference with the Ministry of Industry and the Grand Est region. Who each granted a loan of 200,000 euros to the Caddy company!
« Opportunity knocks, confie Luc Strohmenger. There are elections this year, we took advantage of them and it worked. A year earlier or six months later, we would not have been so lucky. The theme of reindustrialization probably also played a part.
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“We cannot reindustrialize and let factories close at the same time,” says Luc Strohmenger.
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But his essential argument was the following: 142 jobs in danger, and as many families potentially in difficulty.
Caddy is experiencing serious cash flow problems. ” Electricity and gas had not been paid for for a year – there was a risk of a cut – and the suppliers no longer delivered if we did not pay in advance “says Luc Strohmenger. Not to mention the December wages paid late. It was therefore urgent to inject liquidity to hold out until the end of the seven-week observation period. The 400,000 euros in loans will enable the company to pay salaries for January, buy equipment and raw materials and pay part of the outstanding invoices.
Saving the Caddy brand was Luc Strohmenger’s other argument with the public authorities. A brand whose reputation attracts around forty takeover candidates, three or four of whom have the favor of the judicial administrator. ” We would like an industrialist to take over the companyconfie Luc Strohmenger. We have seen two companies, for the moment, who are somewhat in the business and who have assured us that they want to make an offer “. They have until February 15 to register. Then they will present their project to the CSE, which will give its opinion. This will be taken into account by the commercial court in its judgment. Just like the opinion of the judicial administrator.
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“I will opt for the buyer who causes the least social damage,” says Luc Strohmenger.
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Caddy employees are not in their first receivership. They experienced one in 2012, then another in 2014. Despite this, in 2017 and 2018, the company recorded record losses. And is bought by the Polish Damix, which relocates the most profitable production to Poland: stainless steel trolleys for the hotel industry, airports, logistics, hospitals… While the production of supermarket trolleys remains in Alsace, to be sold to large distribution groups who have the means to put pressure on prices. ” They should have done the opposite. says Luc Strohmenger: produce products with lower added value by cheap Polish labour. »
Then came the Covid-19 pandemic. Caddy then benefits, in 2020, from 6.2 million euros in loans guaranteed by the State (PGE). This will be used by the general manager Stéphane Dedieu to reassure the employees. But in fact, ” the EMPs only made it possible to postpone the deadline, says Luc Strohmenger. If it hadn’t been for the Covid, we would have been in receivership at the start of 2020. »
In fact, the company recorded five million euros in losses at the end of 2020. In 2021, the CSE is concerned about the situation and mandates an accountant to audit the accounts of the previous year. ” He told us that the situation was very very limited “says Luc Strohmenger.
However, the employer wants to be reassuring: the move he is preparing will generate cash. He thus abandoned the Drusenheim site, of which he was a tenant, to set up all production in Dettwiller. All machines are sold and then leased to their new owner. Incidentally, the operation resulted in forty layoffs, as part of a job protection plan. ” I think it was done too late “says Luc Strohmenger today.
At the end of 2021, Stéphane Dedieu justifies the lack of cash by the problems linked to Covid-19: supply difficulties, closed borders, increase in the cost of raw materials, drop in orders… Not to mention that at some point, the factory has become a cluster. Luc Strohmenger sums up the situation differently: “ it is believed that there was mismanagement ».
Today, ” there is a divide between employees and management, he reports, we are campaigning for a total change of direction ». For now, employees expect layoffs. ” We have never seen a recovery without staff cuts, confirms Luc Strohmenger, it should be kept to a minimum. »
Laurent Barberon
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Cart in dates
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1928: creation of the Ateliers reunited Caddy
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2012: receivership, Stéphane Dedieu appointed director of the plant
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2014: receivership, takeover of the company by Stéphane Dedieu
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2016: purchase of the Dettwiller site for a symbolic euro
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2018: takeover by the Polish company Damix (70% of the shares)
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2021: abandonment of the Drusenheim site, complete move to Dettwiller
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Financial results
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2018: 6.2 million euros in losses
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2020: 5 million euros in losses
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2022: debt of 4 million euros
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Workforce
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2012: 900 employees
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2020: 183 employees
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2021: 142 employees
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