Nike’s management in Laakdal, located in Belgium’s Antwerp province, announced on Tuesday its intention to implement collective redundancies within the Technology division at its European Logistics Campus (ELC).
The Technology department currently employs nearly 200 people, but initial information suggests that not all staff will be affected. According to reliable sources, as many as 60 jobs could be cut.
When a company notifies authorities of its intention to make collective redundancies, it is sometimes required to submit documentation to Belgium’s Federal Public Service Economy (FOD Economie) and the Flemish employment agency VDAB. In Nike’s case, this document mentioned a total of 80 positions.
However, the situation is more nuanced. The 80 positions listed included 20 vacant roles alongside 60 filled ones. In theory, this means the number of redundancies could exceed 80 if additional measures are taken.
Despite this, the actual number of people leaving the company will likely be lower. Solutions are reportedly being sought to reassign some of those occupying the 60 filled positions to other roles within the Laakdal site.
Speculation about potential job losses at Nike in Belgium had already surfaced last year. This decision appears to be part of a broader global reorganisation strategy by the sportswear giant to refocus its operations.
