Syngenta consultation puts 377 Grangemouth jobs at risk

Syngenta has announced plans to cease operations at its Grangemouth agricultural-chemicals facility, putting 377 jobs at risk and triggering a consultation with workers and trade unions. The company said a detailed review had found that the site was significantly more expensive to operate than other production facilities. It said increasing international competition and savings identified within the business had not been enough to close what it called the site’s competitiveness gap.

Syngenta stressed that no final decision had been taken. The company said it was committed to genuine consultation and would consider alternative paths for the facility during the process. Mike Hollands, Syngenta UK’s president, said the Grangemouth workforce was highly skilled but that the company had been unable to make the site competitive compared with alternative supply options.

He described the proposal as difficult for the company and said it would continue to examine options with unions. The announcement comes after other employment losses in the area. The nearby oil refinery closed in April last year, resulting in about 400 job losses, while bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis has announced plans to close its Falkirk plant, affecting 115 roles.

Syngenta received £2.2m from Scottish Enterprise more than a year ago to expand production at Grangemouth. The Scottish Government said it had strongly opposed the latest plans. Economy Secretary Stephen Flynn called them extremely disappointing and urged the UK Government to release money from a previously announced £200m Grangemouth funding pot, saying none had yet been allocated.

UK Reindustrialisation Minister Blair McDougall said the decision had been taken on commercial grounds. He said the UK Government had met Syngenta and would work with the National Wealth Fund and Scottish counterparts to explore options for the area, the site and its workforce.