A dramatic turn of events for the furniture retailer Alinea. The only bidder willing to take over the brand withdrew its offer on Thursday, February 12th. The Romanian company SDC Holding, which had proposed retaining 575 of the 1,172 employees, failed to appear before the works council to present its plan. Its withdrawal effectively seals the brand's fate.
Founded in Avignon in 1988, Alinea had become an iconic furniture and home decor retailer. Facing financial difficulties, it was seeking a buyer to save some of its jobs and maintain its identity. The withdrawal of SDC Holding now paves the way for a more drastic scenario.
Job closures and eliminations
In the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, 291 employees are expected to lose their jobs, particularly in the stores in Aubagne, where the headquarters are located, as well as in Toulon and Cabriès. Nationwide, nearly 1,000 positions are expected to be eliminated.
Other offers exist for some locations, but they do not include maintaining the brand. Several potential buyers are considering converting the stores into outlets for different brands, such as Grand Frais, Ikea, or Leroy Merlin. These plans would involve partially retaining employees but would mark the end of Alinea as an independent brand. The buyers have until March 2nd to improve their proposals. The commercial court is expected to rule at the end of the month.
Anger and mobilization of employees
For the employees, the announcement comes as another shock after the initial offers were deemed insufficient. Several are considering a strike in the coming days to obtain a more favorable job protection plan. A demonstration is planned for Saturday.
The Mulliez family, the main shareholder, is once again at the heart of the discussions. They had already liquidated and then taken over the company in 2020. Employee representatives now hope to obtain stronger social guarantees as part of the proceedings. The announced demise of Alinea marks the end of a historic player in the French furniture market. It also illustrates the persistent difficulties facing the furniture sector, confronted with international competition and changing consumer habits.
