The bulk of the copolyester production will be moved to its US plant in Kingsport, Tenessee

The bulk of the copolyester production will be moved to its US plant in Kingsport, Tenessee

Eastman Chemical is to close its Hartlepool, UK, copolyester manufacturing plant with the loss of 75 jobs. It will transfer the bulk of production to its US plant at Kingsport, Tennessee, where capacity is to be increased.

The US group recently announced it was in discussions with the unions and employees at the plant, which it originally acquired from Taiwan’s Lucky Polymers (PRW.com 5 February). Among the products made at the north-east UK site are Embrace, Eastar copolyester 6763 and Eastar Bio biodegradable copolyester.

Jim Rogers, president of the Eastman division, said the decision to shut the Hartlepool site had been difficult because of the quality of the workforce. “But by consolidating production at sites that are more integrated through our raw material stream, we’ll be able to sustain over the longer term our ability to provide customers with consistent, high-quality copolyester products on a global basis.”