Polytechnyl Closure Threatens 450 Jobs in Lyon’s Chemical Valley
Lyon, April 21, 2026 – Over 450 employees of the chemical company Polytechnyl, located in Saint-Fons near Lyon in the renowned Chemical Valley, are facing potential job losses. This follows a single, minimalist takeover offer, confirmed by union representatives on Tuesday to AFP. The company, a French subsidiary of the Belgian group Domo, which produces technical plastics based on nylon for various industrial sectors including automotive and textile, was placed into receivership in January.
A Single Takeover Bid Offers Limited Hope
With a crucial hearing before the Lyon commercial court just one week away, only one takeover offer has been submitted. The American investment firm Lone Star has proposed retaining only 72 out of approximately 550 employees. This offer exclusively concerns the Rhône site and focuses solely on patents, the Technyl brand, research, stock, and commercial services, notably excluding production facilities and real estate.
Patrick Leray, CFE-CGC delegate, described the situation as “a shock for all employees,” who are split between the Saint-Fons (Rhône) and Valence (Drôme) sites. Pascal Mayen, Unsa delegate, lamented the potential loss of “historical knowledge, which has been developed for 70 years,” emphasizing that “the only factories (of the Domo group, editor’s note) that will close are in France.”
Mayen further argued, “It seems extraordinary that the company is not given a chance when we have shown that we are profitable if we bought raw materials at market price,” alleging that raw materials are being supplied by a competitor. Leray also highlighted that approximately 100 individuals working for external companies (handling, company restaurant) would also be affected by the closure.
Domino Effect Feared in the Chemical Valley
Unions are expressing concerns about the broader implications of Polytechnyl’s closure on other companies within the Chemical Valley. They warn of a potential “domino effect,” as Polytechnyl supplies essential inputs to some of its neighbors.
In a press release issued last week, the inter-union body (Unsa-CFE-CGC-CGT) expressed its “disappointment” following a meeting at the Ministry of Economy and Finance (Bercy). The unions stated, “We are asking for temporary protection and the necessary time to materialize solutions.” Sébastien Martin’s cabinet, the Minister Delegate for Industry, had previously informed AFP that the minister was “following the situation very closely and working to find a solution.”
A Legacy Since the 1950s Faces Uncertainty
The bankruptcy of three Domo subsidiaries in Germany at the end of 2025 and “the failure of negotiations between shareholders, banks, and creditors to establish a global financing plan” had “direct repercussions on Polytechnyl,” Domo France explained in January, justifying its placement into receivership.
As part of a job protection plan (PSE), 130 positions have already been eliminated since the summer of 2025. Currently, there are approximately 450 employees remaining in Saint-Fons, south of Lyon in the Chemical Valley, where Polytechnyl has been present since the early 1950s, and around 90 in Valence.
The potential closure of Polytechnyl represents a significant blow to the region’s industrial landscape and raises concerns about the future of employment in Lyon’s Chemical Valley.
Source: https://actu.fr/auvergne-rhone-alpes/saint-fons_69199/serie-noire-dans-la-vallee-de-la-chimie-de-lyon-une-grosse-entreprise-et-450-employes-menaces_64172135.html
