The joint venture’s plant is its smallest and has high costs

BP Solvay Polyethylene is to close its 140,000tpa Rigidex 3 HDPE plant at Grangemouth by the end of the first quarter next year. The unit’s 75 personnel will have the opportunity for redeployment elsewhere in the complex and no compulsory redundancies will be made.

The unit, opened in 1979, is the smallest facility in the joint venture’s portfolio and therefore has some of the highest costs. According to the company, the HDPE market is currently suffering from overcapacity. Trade unions have been kept informed of the economic position facing the plant, BP Solvay Polyethylene said.