Debt of 1.3 million euros to be paid: the black streak for Duralex continues

The dark streak for Duralex continues. Having been forced to interrupt operations for several months during the energy crisis, the company, whose plant is located in La Chapelle-Saint-Mesmin (Loire), in the suburbs of Orléans, found itself in difficulty again, this time due to a court decision.

The Orléans administrative court on March 14 ordered the famous glass factory to pay a debt contracted in 2020 with the former operator before its takeover in 2021 by parent company Pyrex.

230 employees

That year, Duralex, known around the world for its low-cost, ultra-strong glass, exceeded its greenhouse gas emissions quotas. To comply, the company would have to pay for new rights or face a €2 million fine. However, that same year the glass factory was liquidated, and the debt was never paid.

At the current price, its amount could reach 1.3 million euros, which represents a “significant financial burden” that could “seriously jeopardize the financial condition of New Duralex International and its ability to maintain its activities on a sustainable basis,” the direction specifies.

Duralex, which employs 230 people, decided to appeal the decision of the administrative court. The debt, the company adds, “was not declared,” and the arbitration court “ruled out the assumption of obligations of this kind.”

The company also announced it had filed a complaint against former manager Andre Ioannides, accused of leaking a confidential document related to a planned sale of the company at the end of 2023, which has since been abandoned.