Valais companies apply for short-time working compensation after storms
Published: Tuesday, Jul 2nd 2024, 13:40
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Following the storms in Valais, the two companies specializing in aluminium products Constellium and Novelis in Sierre VS and Chippis VS are at a standstill. It was initially unclear when operations would be restarted. The companies have applied for short-time working compensation.
"The clean-up work began on Monday, with priority being given to clearing the entrances," Serge Gaudin, head of Novelis Sierre, told the Keystone-SDA news agency on Tuesday. Firefighters and members of the army are working on the site to clear away the mud.
"We don't yet know how long the factory will be shut down and how extensive the damage is. In particular, all the machines have to be inspected for defects and the site is large," added Gaudin. He could therefore not yet give any figures on the financial impact of the flooding on the company,
The multinational company Novelis supplies the automotive industry throughout Europe. Constellium manufactures railroad materials.
Around 1,200 people work at the entire industrial site, 520 of them at Novelis. "We have submitted a preventive application to the canton for short-time working compensation (KAE)," explained Gaudin. He was confirming a report in "Le Temps" and "Le Nouvelliste".
Constellium also submitted an application to the canton. According to Economic Director Christophe Darbellay (center), no other companies have contacted the canton to date.
On Monday evening, Franz Ruppen (SVP), President of the Valais government, estimated the storm damage at 200 million francs - not including the damage suffered by private individuals or companies. However, this amount is only provisional.
©Keystone/SDA
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