Saint-Gobain recently announced it plans to close its windscreen factory in Belgium, impacting 263 jobs. Auto sales, upon which the auto glass industry is dependent, have continued to decline as the EU market continues to deal with the fallout of the debt crisis. Christine Vander Heyden, communications director for Saint-Gobain Belgium and Luxembourg, said: "The intention comes in the wake of profound deterioration of the automotive market in Europe (new car registrations are down 24% in five years)," officials said in a statement. "In Belgium, car makers have recently announced the stoppage of assembly lines. The decline in car production has resulted in an additional drop in volumes for the Auvelais plant with its turnover down 60% since 2006, worsening an already seriously negative financial situation." Though the management and staff made ongoing efforts to adjust to the economic situation and improve manufacturing performance, their efforts have apparently been "insufficient," according to the management team. "We are fully aware of the emotional impact of such an announcement on our staff and on their families, as well as the questions it raises," Vander Hayden says. "If this intention is confirmed, we shall lead the process in a socially responsible and respectful way, and we are counting on the employee representatives to ensure effective dialogue in a climate of openness and transparency."
