Copeland to close Welkenraedt plant

BELGIUM: Copeland has announced the closure of its Welkenraedt commercial air conditioning and refrigeration compressor factory.

Up to 227 of the current 316 employees will lose their jobs, with the company claiming that increasing pressure on prices and production costs means it is no longer competitive.

“Despite the considerable efforts made at the Welkenraedt site to reduce its costs, the company is forced to recognise that these actions are insufficient to remain competitive and viable in the European market with products manufactured in Welkenraedt,” Copeland said.

The company says that the research and development department will remain in Welkenraedt with with the intention to build a new R&D centre in the region.

The current production of large commercial compressors systems will be transferred to other Copeland sites. 

The Welkenraedt factory was originally built by the Copeland Corporation in 1970 to produce four-, six- and eight-cylinder semi-hermetic compressors.

Last month, private equity firm Blackstone completed the purchase of the Copeland business from Emerson.