Carole Delga, the President of the Occitanie Region, expressed regret over Bosch management’s decision to halt the Fresh 2 hydrogen project at its Rodez plant located in Aveyron.
The project, which was focused on hydrogen fuel cell production for refrigerated transport, promised to secure the plant’s future and sustain its 513 jobs. In response to this unexpected move, Delga has called for an urgent meeting of the monitoring committee to discuss the unfolding situation.
Bosch’s management revealed the termination of the Fresh 2 project in an announcement on Wednesday, June 21. The project’s aim was to transform the Rodez site into a hydrogen fuel cell production facility, thereby safeguarding its long-term viability amid dwindling activities related to the diesel market since 2021.
“I share the employees’ concern and the feeling of uncertainty about their future. This decision is a bad signal from Bosch management,” Delga told the editorial staff of La Tribune. The socialist president emphasized the need for government intervention, requesting it to convene a meeting with employees and all monitoring committee members of the Bosch Rodez site.
Alongside Jean-Louis Chauzy, Delga had already alerted the Minister of Energy Transition and the Minister Delegate for Industry in November about the company’s difficulties in implementing the investment plan for the hydrogen sector. They had requested a monitoring committee meeting in light of these challenges, which were included in the agreement signed with the unions.
As Delga returned from the Paris Air Show, where she announced a 50-million-euro extension for her “Green Aircraft” plan, she is once again faced with the challenges of the Aveyron industry. The Bosch predicament comes on the heels of the recent closure of the SAM foundry, adding another pressing issue to her plate.
The discontinuation of the Fresh 2 project undoubtedly sends shockwaves through the local economy and workforce. It is now up to the monitoring committee, with the government’s support, to address these concerns and chart a new path forward for the Rodez site and its employees.
