Bologna, August 30, 2026 – The Woolrich plant in Bologna is closing and about a hundred people are involved. The latest twist in a story that began in December 2025, after the announcement by the new owner BasicNet to move everyone to the new headquarters in Turin.
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But where were we? Exactly 7 months ago, on January 30, a radical and profound transformation of the Woolrich Europe group in Bologna was initiated – not without difficulties – the company having passed in December 2025 to BasicNet, a Turin-based company. At that cold meeting, everyone was there: representatives from Turin, unions, institutions – from Mayor Matteo Lepore to regional councilor Giovanni Paglia – and workers.
Eight hours of meeting to summarize decades of history in the area: from the arrival of the brand in the city to the painful announcement of the “transfer to Turin or resignation” that came in December 2025, for the 109 Woolrich Europe workers in Bologna (plus 30 in Milan).
At that table many recalled that blow, which came during an already crisis-filled period: Yoox (later resolved with an agreement), Gaggio Tech or Manz Italy in Sasso Marconi. Now, that late January agreement is effectively worthless: the Woolrich site in Bologna closes on August 31.
The early 2026 agreement
Last winter, workers were offered an incentivized transfer to Turin, both financially and organizationally for those who chose to move to the new Piedmont base. The agreement included a train ticket reimbursement worth thousands of euros. The second option was to stay at the Bologna or Milan sites until March 31, 2027.
For those with seniority over 12 years and who would leave by August 31, the ‘bonus’ was 20 gross monthly salaries, 11 if leaving between September 1 and December 31, 2026, and 5 between January 1 and March 31, 2027. The other monthly salaries: by August 31, 2026, up to 3 years of work were 10 months, between 3 and 6 years were 11 months, between 6 and 9 years were 12 months, between 9 and 12 years were 17 months. For departures between September 1 and December 31, 2026: up to 3 years 3 months, between 3 and 6 years 4, between 6 and 9 years 5, between 9 and 12 years 8, over 12 years 11.
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For departures between January 1 and March 31, 2027: up to 6 years one month, between 6 and 9 years 2, between 9 and 12 years 4, over 12 years, 5 months. But in fact, none of this ever materialized.
What changes?
“Don’t Bolognize us” was the workers’ appeal after last year’s announcement.
An appeal that went unheard. What happens now? From September 1, there are two paths: the first is leaving the company (all procedures will be clarified and defined within 24 hours), the second is moving to Turin. In short, as was said in January, only that instead of closing in March 2027, from September 1 no one will be in the Bologna office.
The first option – as is easily understood – is the one chosen by dozens of Bologna employees, the second mostly concerns those who worked in Milan.
