Perhaps it was because the two announcements followed so swiftly on each other, or because the people who lost their jobs, 700 in all, that came to people’s minds first.

But the economic models and realities which led to 570 workers losing their jobs at VF Malta and that which led to 113 being laid off at Bortex the next day are quite different.

In VF’s case, as has been stated, the company’s operation in Malta was still profitable but the company believed it could make better profits if it relocated elsewhere. The management here looked at the opportunity cost of relocating and decided for it.

In the case of Bortex, the company has been relocating to Tunisia and China over the past years. It had retained a small manufacturing section in Malta, but in recent times, due to wage earnings and global costs, this section had become unprofitable and was eating into the profits being made in Tunisia and China.

This is what led to the decision to close down this section, with the loss of 113 jobs. But the company will still house its R&D and Product Development units in Malta. These sections employ some 130 people with higher wages than the shop floor employees who have lost their jobs.

The company will also retain the fully stocked retail outlets it has in Malta.

Although these will be trying and traumatic times for the families involved, there already seems to have been quite a high interest expressed by other manufacturing concerns in Malta, not all in the textile industry, as the workers at both factories are certifiably hard workers, focused and disciplined who would make, given training and a chance to learn a new skill, excellent workers. Some industries have already begun sounding out the possibilities.