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 Manufacture of textiles, apparel and leather Manufacture of textiles 13.9 - Manufacture of other textiles
New offshoring locations
137 jobs Number of planned job losses
Announcement Date
16 April 2025
Employment effect (start)
Foreseen end date
30 September 2025
Description
Honeywell, a U.S.-based industrial manufacturer, is closing its footwear production plant in Partizánske, Slovakia, resulting in the loss of 137 jobs. The company informed employees of the decision in April 2025, and production will officially cease on September 30, 2025. The plant, part of Honeywell Safety Products Slovakia s.r.o., has been operating in the region since 2008, primarily manufacturing professional safety and work footwear under brands such as Honeywell and Sperian.
According to Honeywell’s official statement, the closure is part of a global restructuring process aimed at increasing efficiency and competitiveness. The company cited economic factors, including high production and labor costs in Slovakia, as key reasons for relocating manufacturing to other regions with lower cost bases. The company plans to move operations to Tunisia.
All 137 employees will be affected. Layoffs will be carried out in phases beginning in July and concluding by the end of September 2025. Honeywell has confirmed that it will meet all legal obligations, including severance payments and compliance with Slovak labor laws. The company is cooperating with the Office of Labor, Social Affairs and Family in Partizánske and is offering job counseling, retraining opportunities, and assistance in seeking new employment.
The closure is a significant blow to the local economy, as the Honeywell factory was one of the key employers in the region. Partizánske Mayor Jozef Božik noted that the city is actively working with the Ministry of Economy and the Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency (SARIO) to attract new investors and mitigate the impact on the community.
Honeywell’s withdrawal follows similar moves by other foreign manufacturers in Slovakia—such as ECCO’s exit from Martin, affecting over 600 workers, and LOWA’s closure in Handlová, which resulted in 195 job losses. These closures reflect a broader trend of industrial relocation away from Slovakia due to rising operational costs and evolving global strategies
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.
