Employees of Foreplast, the manufacturer of specialised plastic car parts, have been told that the Monaco plant will close with the loss of 59 jobs.

Previously called Mecaplast, founded in Monaco 64 years ago, the firm became part of the Novares group in 2015, headquartered near Paris. The company has steadily moved jobs to low-wage countries and last year turned a profit of 6.5 million euros on revenue of 1,123 million. The workers in Monaco have an average length of service of 28 years, and are shocked by the move.

“This move has been clearly orchestrated for months without the knowledge of the employees and the Monegasque authorities,” a lawyer acting for the workers told local French daily Monaco Matin. In 2017 Novares boasted “strong organic growth” and an “impressive financial performance.” Most of the workers travel to work from Italy.

Meanwhile, Minister of Social Affairs and Health Didier Gamerdinger said that a Iconic Monaco factory to close – 59 jobs lostmanagement proposal to ease the worker’s redundancy was clearly below what the workers expected.

PHOTO: The Foreplast plant in Fontvieille