The restructuring events database contains factsheets with data on large-scale restructuring events reported in the principal national media and company websites in each EU Member State. This database was created in 2002.
Manufacturing (20 - 21) Manufacture of chemicals and pharmaceuticals 20.3 - Manufacture of paints, varnishes and similar coatings, printing ink and mastics 20.30 - Manufacture of paints, varnishes and similar coatings, printing ink and mastics
101 jobs Number of planned job losses
Announcement Date
13 January 2026
Employment effect (start)
13 April 2026
Foreseen end date
Description
AkzoNobel, the Dutch multinational and global leader in paints and coatings, has announced plans to reduce its workforce by up to 120 employees at its El Prat de Llobregat plant (Barcelona), according to union sources. The company currently operates four plants in Spain and employs more than 1,300 people in the country.
The company has confirmed that the measure is part of a restructuring aimed at ensuring the long-term viability of the facility in an evolving market focused on low-emission, sustainable coatings. AkzoNobel recently invested €11 million to transform El Prat into a state-of-the-art production hub for water-based paints, positioning it as a key reference site within the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East, and Africa).
Updated, 25 FEB 2026:
Workers at AkzoNobel’s El Prat de Llobregat plant, formerly part of Titan, have approved a revised ERE that reduces the number of layoffs from 120 to 101 employees, representing roughly 50% of the 197-strong workforce. The deal was ratified in a staff assembly after negotiations between management and unions. Under the agreement, affected workers will receive compensation equivalent to unfair dismissal terms, with indemnities ranging from 33 to 45 days per year worked, plus additional fixed supplements linked to seniority. In some cases, compensation may reach up to 52 days per year, exceeding the statutory minimum. The company will also cover special Social Security contributions for employees aged over 55 who are close to retirement. Although unions acknowledge improvements in financial terms, they stress that their primary objective of avoiding any dismissals was not achieved.
Digitisation and automation technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), can affect working conditions in a variety of ways and their use in the workplace raises a host of new ethical concerns.
The retail banking sector is fertile ground for studying the impacts of digitalisation on work and employment. Financial services are increasingly provided online, without the intermediary of customer-facing institutions.
European labour markets have recovered strongly from COVID-19. By the end of 2021, little more than 18 months after the start of the pandemic, employment rates in the EU were almost at pre-crisis levels.
