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Yet another social plan for the automobile parts manufacturer F2J Japy in Valentigney (Doubs). Management announced that it would be giving up 40 of its 100 employees on January 20, 2025. The reason: the discontinuation of a product line by Stellantis, its main client.
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F2J Japy employees are sadly used to it. The company’s management announced the elimination of 40 new jobs on Monday January 20.
Yet another ax for the manufacturer of gearbox components, which represents a loss of 40% of the payroll. F2J Japy suffers full force the poor results of its main client Stellantis, along with the electrification of the automobile fleet and the transition to automatic gearboxes.
This restructuring project follows the discontinuation of a product line by Stellantis. “A product which is mounted on gearboxes and which represented 30% of our turnover”, or 5 million euros, specifies the director of F2J Japy, Thibault Couerdacier.
In 2025, the company will undergo its sixth social plan in the space of ten years. • © Hugo Flotat Talon – France Télévisions
This decision leaves “no choice” to the company manager: “we must cut the payroll to guarantee the sustainability of the site and preserve the jobs that will remain”.
He repeats that this is indeed a product shutdown, “its production is not relocated elsewhere”. Regarding Stellantis, he adds: “Our client (Stellantis) supports us, but he cannot invent volumes for us that do not exist.”
The news remains cruel for employees. Gathered this Tuesday morning in front of the factory, not everyone shares the director’s opinion about Stellantis.
Peugeot (Stellantis) is letting us down. Peugeot no longer takes care of subcontractors. They only think about profit and we are going to die.
André Thievent, CFDT union delegate
“This is the sixth social plan in ten years,” reacts Force Ouvrière (FO) union delegate Mark Sivric. Already in 2023, F2J Japy suffered the loss of 33 jobs. When he was hired 18 years ago, the company employed 600 people, including 450 temporary workers. The workforce has since been divided by ten.
“We all fought. We did the job. Productivity increased. We did everything we could to save this company,” continues Mark Sivric. “Management went to look for new markets, but the economic situation is very bad. It is insufficient to compensate for the loss of market for Stellantis, which represents 100% of our turnover.”
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The premises of the F2J Japy factory, in February 2021. • © Lionel Vadam – MAXPPP
Management confirms. Since 2021, F2J Japy has diversified its activity by positioning itself in particular on the hydrogen market and that of agricultural equipment. For the moment, the volumes ordered are low. But its director remains hopeful: “It’s complicated, but we’re getting there.”
“This is the sad reality of the automobile market,” continues Mark Sivric of Force Ouvrière. According to him, the government is starting an energy transition “without thinking about the consequences on employment”.
Negotiations will begin on Friday. The goal of the inter-union: to minimize the number of redundancies and allow those sacrificed to leave in “the best possible conditions”, replies Mark Sivric. An objective shared by the director, “within the company’s means”.
With Hugo Flotat-Talon
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