Degussa shuts superabsorbents production unit at Greensboro, US

05 April 2001 16:07  [Source: ICIS news]

LONDON (CNI)--German specialty chemicals company Degussa said Thursday it has closed one of the two superabsorbents units at its Greensboro, North Carolina plant in the US with the loss of about 40 jobs.

It said the unit has been closed because of a decline in superabsorbents demand in the North American free trade (Nafta) region. Degussa said the closure would take about 40 000 tonne/year of annual capacity off the market.

Andreas Meinz, head of Degussa's global superabsorbents business unit, said: "We thoroughly regret the closure of the unit and the loss of jobs. At the same time, this is an important step towards improving the performance of our superabsorbents operations and thus also securing their future worldwide."

Degussa stressed that the Greensboro closure would not affect the company's superabsorbents activities in South America, which it said was a growth market of strategic importance.

A spokeswoman for Degussa told CNI that there were no plans for any further superabsorbent plant closures in North America. In addition to the remaining operational unit at Greensboro, which has an annual capacity of about 75 000 tonne, Degussa has a 65 000 tonne plant at Garyville, Louisiana.

Degussa's annual sales last year of superabsorbents totalled about Euro500m ($442m).

By: Neil Sinclair
+44 20 8652 3214

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