Quality Espresso has communicated to the staff its intention to present a termination collective redundancy procedure that would affect the entire production area of its plant in the Zona Franca of Barcelona. The company, dedicated to the manufacture of professional coffee machines and grinders and owned by the Italian group Evoca, currently has a workforce of 117 people.
The announcement leaves an immediate paradox at the Barcelona factory. While the company plans to close production and lay off those who sustain it, it simultaneously assures that it will maintain the facilities as a regional center with commercial, logistics, after-sales, and support activity.
CCOO rejects the ERO and links it to the departure of production from Barcelona
CCOO, the majority union on the works council, rejects the dismissals and maintains that the measure responds to a delocalization strategy. The union places the conflict in the loss of industrial activity that until now was carried out in the Zona Franca.
Along these lines, union sources affirm that the management has sought to remove both the brand and production from Barcelona. The possible closure, in addition to direct jobs, could also affect indirect jobs linked to factory activity.
The direct impact reaches a central part of the staff. The factory has 117 workers and most are linked to production or related segments, so the adjustment would have a broad impact within the center.
The company maintains the regional center and sets May 18 for the first meeting
Quality Espresso justifies the closure of production due to the need to adapt to market changes and guarantee its long-term sustainability and competitiveness. The company does not, however, plan the complete closure of the Barcelona facilities.
In a statement, the company and its Italian parent company state that the dependencies of the Free Trade Zone will continue to operate as a regional center. Commercial, after-sales, logistics, and support activities would continue there.
"Evoca Group and Quality Espresso are committed to managing the process responsibly and engaging in constructive dialogue with worker representatives and institutions" - Evoca Group and Quality Espresso, company statement
The formal opening of the process will arrive in the coming days. The company and the workers' representation have set a first meeting to receive all the information about the ERO on Monday, May 18.