The American manufacturer of high-quality sound equipment Bose will close its distribution center in Tongeren. The management informed the staff of this on Monday. About 150 people will lose their jobs. “We knew something was coming, but a closure comes as a total surprise,” the unions say.
Bose is a multinational that has been making equipment such as headphones, earphones, sound bars and speakers for decades. The company opened the European distribution center on the Maastrichtersteenweg on Tongeren-Oost in 1995, so 28 years ago. Initially, the Dutch market of specialized electrical dealers and other retailers was served from Limburg, followed by other European countries. The activities grew steadily. But in recent years the business collapsed. The fact that things were not going so well was evident from the gradual reduction of the workforce, including by not extending temporary contracts and not replacing retired employees.
When the unions were called together for a special works council months ago, they felt that something was wrong, but the announcement of a total closure still came as a surprise. The staff reacted upset, but returned to work as expected. A solid social plan will now be negotiated for the 150 people who work at Bose in Tongeren. The doors should be closed permanently by the summer of 2024.
