Plantium closes facilities in Villa Constitución, laying off over 100 workers

The precision agriculture technology company Plantium, including its firm Gentec, has closed its facilities in Villa Constitución, Argentina, resulting in the dismissal of more than 100 employees. Workers reported finding the factory doors locked on Friday morning after receiving termination notices the previous night.

The layoffs affect approximately 84 workers at the manufacturing plant and over 30 staff members across other locations, including a research and development center in Rosario. The company specializes in high-tech agricultural tools, such as automated pilots, sowing monitors, and artificial intelligence systems designed to reduce herbicide use.

Industry sources attribute the collapse to several factors: intense competition from lower-priced Chinese imports, which can cost up to five times less than local equipment, a lagging exchange rate, and the economic downturn of major domestic buyers like Pauny and Metalfor. While the company described the closure as temporary, the group had been facing financial difficulties for over a year.