Chemicals major Dow Chemical (Midland, Michigan / USA; www.dow..com ) is to close its ethylene oxide and glycol (EOEG) production facility at Wilton / UK by the end of January 2010. The plant currently employs 55 people, but Dow says the actual number of jobs that might be impacted by the closure will only be determined following an employee consultation period.

The decision to close the plant, according to site leader, Dow (Wilton) Ltd, Malcolm Wilson, was only taken after a comprehensive review of potential options. However, “a workable option was not identified,” he explained. Factors contributing to the closure decision included the site’s disadvantaged input costs and a softening in demand and profit margins, particularly for monoethylene glycol.