Swiss brand Bally closes its Tuscan production site following Regent's restructuring plan
After several months of negotiations with unions and local authorities, Swiss footwear and accessories brand Bally has officially shut down its production site in Lastra a Signa, just outside Florence. The factory, which had reduced its workforce from 55 to 28 since December, ceased operations after the remaining employees reached an economic settlement.
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The announcement came from union Uiltucs, which recalled that American investment fund Regent, having acquired Bally in 2024, had already declared its intention to shut down the Tuscan site in February. The closure involved laying off the site's entire workforce. Since then, various efforts have been made to reach a shared and sustainable resolution for the impacted employees.
"All possible solutions were considered—from social safety nets to the potential acquisition by a third party—but none moved forward, as workers opted to accept the financial offer, which met the expectations of the vast majority," said Giuseppe Franzone, a representative of Uiltucs.
The union, reportedly the last one still active at the regional level, represented the majority of workers involved in the negotiations.
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