After hearing about planned layoffs, angry workers at Sigma Coatings’ paint factory in Manage, Belgium held seven board members hostage for three days. The hostages were released after an agreement was made with the unions on a timetable for the future procedure surrounding the proposed closure of a part of the Manage site.
The management of Sigma Coatings S.A. has informed the members of its works council of its intention to stop the production of coil coatings, based on resins others than PVC. Management expects this will lead to the dismissal of 95 blue-collar workers and 64 white-collar workers on a total of 279 employees.
In May 2003, Sigma Coatings Manage announced the restructuring plan, which was later suspended to allow for negotiations in regard to a possible cooperation agreement with other players in the industrial market. That deal never came to fruition. According to a statement from the company, Sigma Coatings’ intention is to maintain some kind of industrial activity at the Manage site, including resins and a few other specific industrial coatings.