Operating losses and shift of customers to Asia lie behind the decision

Total Petrochemicals is to end synthetic thermoplastic elastomer production at its plant at Antwerp, Belgium The company says the plant - which manufactures thermoplastics elastomers for technical compounds, plastics modification and bitumens – has been operating in a tough economic climate for several years. This has been made worse by the shift to Asia of most of its major consumers, it says.

The closure decision follows two years of unsuccessful attempts to refocus the business and to find a viable partner solution. It will result in 144 job losses – 134 at the plant and 10 in the company’s Brussels office. The closure plans were put to the works councils at the sites affected by the decision on Wednesday this week.