Forges de Tarbes is on the front line of supplying ammunition to Ukraine. But the production has been stopped for several weeks. The company’s management aims to provide reassurance and create temporary difficulties. Unions decry the structural problem: lack of credit and investment.
Forges de Tarbes has a strategic location in the war effort against Ukraine. The factory and its 60 employees make shell bodies for supplier KNDS Nexter.
The latter is at the end of the chain for the European Union and France to fulfill their promise to deliver munitions to Kiev. But, for several weeks, its partner based in Tarbes stopped its production.
The management of Forges de Tarbes recognizes the problem, but refers to the temporary situation.
In 2021, Europlasma took over Forges de Tarbes. From its head office in Passeig in the Gironde, management states: ” Tarbs have no production issues“. On the other hand, he recognizes that “However the latter had to be temporarily closed to avoid any collection problems and to manage cash flow as best as possible.“
This statement shows that the company is really experiencing, as the unions raise, a credit problem.
Since January 1, 2024, approximately 10,000 parts have been delivered. There is also a large stock in Tarbes.
Uroplasma gives a date or rather a time frame for returning to normal. The company emphasizes, in fact, “Supply of raw material will resume in 15 daysThis means that production may resume before the end of March.
waiting for, “This downtime is mainly used to carry out maintenance operations and install new machines“
Europlasma Forges de Turbes also emphasizes the investment costs made in response to the unions’ concerns and the state funding received.
Uropaplasma specifies that “ The state has committed 7.1 million euros of the 12 million euros included in the investment program. The company has already received 1.5 million euros and the rest will be paid when 80% of the investment costs have been spent.“
Declaration in the Form of Answer to Questions of Forge Unions.
Josiane Frétier, representative of the CGT, told our colleagues at Usine Nouvelle: “Our inquiry is always the same. Where are the promised funds and investments? Apart from the 2 million euros in capital increase provided during the takeover of our company, the announced investments are still not there. Europlasma’s financial situation worries us“
