Invista Closing UK Chemical Plant

Wilton, UK, Jan. 14, 2009--Teesside chemical plant Invista Textiles is to close with the loss of 300 jobs.

The plant has been making nylon and polymer intermediaries since 1957 at Wilton near Redcar, Cleveland.

Invista Textiles, who bought it from DuPont in 2004, announced it had begun consultation with trade unions and employee representatives regarding a proposal to cease production at the company’s manufacturing site at Wilton.

It added: "The current downturn in the housing, automobile, textiles and other key markets has caused a steep and rapid decline in demand for the products produced at the site.

"These factors, as well as high infrastructure costs, have compromised the Wilton site’s ability to be globally competitive going forward."

Stan Higgins, chief executive of process industry body NEPIC, said: "We were sorry to hear the decision to close the nylon facility at Wilton, though in the current economic climate this comes as no surprise. We are finding that those companies that supply large quantities of materials which are used in houses, cars, large engineering structures – these are generally materials such as polymers, like nylon."