Historic Cibem Factory in Normandy to Close, Impacting 104 Jobs

The Cibem factory in Saint-Pierre-en-Auge, Normandy, a renowned maker of wooden boxes for the cheese industry, is set to shut down due to persistent financial losses, a decision announced by the Snec group. This closure will affect 104 employees, including 60 who live within ten kilometers of the site, striking a heavy blow to the local community. The factory, founded in 1885 and acquired by Lactalis in 2011, had received significant industrial investment and financial aid totaling 25 million euros to maintain operations. However, these efforts failed to stem declining competitiveness and a continuous drop in orders, compounded by rising raw material costs such as cardboard and wood. Cibem was a key supplier for major cheese brands including Lactalis’s President and Bridel, Bongrain, and Isigny Sainte-Mère. Local mayor Jacky Marie described the closure as a "drama," emphasizing the human impact and expressing concern over employees’ difficulties in finding new opportunities or relocating. Management has committed to supporting staff through job reclassification initiatives and external job search assistance. Meanwhile, there are speculations that Lactalis might switch to packaging from competitor Lacroix, which operates 31 sites worldwide.