French glass manufacturer Arc France is set to reduce its workforce by 704 positions as part of a restructuring plan approved by unions at the company’s headquarters in Arques, Pas-de-Calais.

The decision comes as the historic tableware glass producer remains in receivership, with its future expected to be determined on March 20 by the Lille commercial court.

During a meeting held on Tuesday, stakeholders reviewed an acquisition proposal from Timothée Durand, currently the sole bidder seeking to take over the company. Durand, the grandson of a former Arc executive, spent most of his career with the company before leaving in 2024.

Initially, the proposal outlined nearly 800 job cuts from the Arques site, where approximately 3,500 employees currently work. Following negotiations with unions, the revised redundancy plan approved by the Works Council includes 704 job reductions, combining both voluntary departures and layoffs.

Arc France has faced increasing challenges in recent years due to growing competition from low-cost imports, particularly from China, alongside the impact of the European energy crisis, which has significantly increased production costs for energy-intensive glass manufacturing.

Founded more than 200 years ago, Arc Group employs approximately 5,700 people worldwide and operates additional manufacturing facilities in the United Arab Emirates, China, and the United States.