Tomorrow, at the meeting table already set on November 20th among the participants at Mimit, for the crisis in the factories Beko Italy-ex Whirlpool, the Turkish group will confirm in whole the restructuring plan which establishes the Closure of three Italian sites and the mega reduction in staff. Whether the minister is there or not (but it seems not), tomorrow the spokesmen of the group will say – according to confidential information – two things: first, we confirm the program in its entirety; second, we are completely available to discuss the methods of application, case by case, factory by factory. It will be necessary – predictably and always according to our information – to open within a month at the most some restricted territorial tables to define together and in an operational way what measures to take for each critical situation.
Beko crisis, what can happen on December 10th
Tomorrow – and here Beko representatives would be right to underline it – they will be over 90 people present. It is madness to think that, with these numbers, we can discuss in an operational way how to define in detail, which are many and heavy, redundancies, reductions, ordinary and extraordinary redundancy payments, interventions for regional support as well. It would be enough for even a single representative of any association or institution or union to intervene in an "informal" way to make a real and useful discussion impossible. The minister, if he shows up, will be - it seems - to reiterate that he reserves the right to apply the mythical golden power which - it should be emphasized - usually concerns strategic manufacturing of much wider relevance also in terms of size. But which in any case also affects this one of the entire household appliance supply chain as this would be a further massive collapse of a fundamental pillar for keeping the entire manufacturing in Italy. Especially after the Stellantis disaster.
Beko crisis, the possible moves of the ministry and the golden power card
But if Urso puts it on the table again, and this time as an irrevocable measure, the golden power card, Beko would have an equally strong reaction. But more than theoretical defenses of an improbable strategic nature, the central problem seems to be, apparently, to go and immediately to territorial tables to contain the very heavy social damage of a crisis that - we can anticipate - has further precipitated with the collapse of the market for all, Asian and European brands. And that is, if in the last few years and months to hit the European household appliance manufacturing it was the Asian competition - and we know well with what often incorrect methods - that took away important shares, today it is the entire market that is falling by double digits. And not even if high-end sales - that of the Italian sites - recover will it be possible to saturate the production capacity. Because the only thing that could make the lines run could be the mega-numbers of the medium and medium-low ranges. Long ago emigrated to Asia, Eastern Europe and Turkey.
Of course to Brussels,wave of bankruptcies, closures and crises now endemic in manufacturing is affecting the legislative and decision-making bodies and the entire community policy. Continue to promote with measures and bureaucratic obstacles theAsian import in all sectors – the Asian lobbies are rich and very powerful in Brussels – it affects consumers, workers and the best companies. As for the Italian unions, their position is very clear. “And if tomorrow they don’t listen to us – asks Alberto Larghi, responsible for household appliances at Fiom Cgil – if they do not withdraw what is in reality a plan for complete divestment, then the risks become serious, with repercussions on the entire economy”.
