The company Kopelco S.A., known for producing Tulipán brand condoms, has laid off 220 workers amid falling consumption and a contraction in several industrial sectors. According to a report by the Argentine News Agency (NA), with this decision, the company reduced its workforce from 355 to 135 employees, representing a cut of over 60% of its staff.
Significant impact on employment The measure directly affects jobs at the company's plants located in the San Martín district of Buenos Aires province and in the province of San Luis. In addition to condoms, the company produces latex-derived products, such as elastics for underwear, balloons, and various types of industrial yarns.
"We are very concerned, it is a very challenging moment," acknowledged the company's general manager, Felipe Kopelowicz, who explained that in some sectors, sales plummeted by up to 50%.
Falling consumption and crisis in several production lines The company indicated that the problem is not limited to the condom market but affects several industrial segments in which the firm operates. For years, product diversification was a pillar of the company's growth, founded in the late 80s. However, in the current economic context, this same diversification was exposed to a simultaneous drop in demand across different sectors.
Tulipán continues to lead the market Despite the crisis, the Tulipán brand maintains a nearly 40% share of the local condom market, which allows it to sustain part of its operations through competitive prices. Nevertheless, the decline in domestic consumption and the contraction of other business units have left Kopelco S.A. in a complex situation.
Kopelowicz himself described the moment as a "total checkmate" for the company in a scenario where the industry is facing one of the sharpest declines in recent years, which is already beginning to be reflected in the loss of hundreds of jobs.
