Arkema reorganizes MMA/PMMA business; 239 employees affected

27-Jun-09

French chemical maker Arkema and its subsidiary Altuglas International have announced reorganization of both the Arkema Carling site (France) and the Altuglas International PMMA Sheet business. The company which produces methyl methacrylate (MMA) at its Carling (France) and Rho (Italy) sites will shut down its French plant to concentrate MMA production on its Rho site in Italy. The decision is a result of a recent surge in worldwide MMA production particularly, in Asia, which is affecting the European MMA exports. Also, Altuglas International plans to refocus its European business on greater added value Sheet products by reducing the activity of its Bernouville site (France) which is structurally loss-making, and by consolidating its Carling Saint-Avold logistics set-up. This will result in loss of 163 positions at the Arkema Carling site and 76 positions at the Bernouville polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) site. In addition, Carling facility, one of the world's leading acrylic acid production sites, would be reorganized around its acrylics activity, and would benefit from proposed investments of some EUR 40 mln to strengthen its acrylic acid, acrylic esters, and cationic monomer plants over the long term. These investments would complement current capital expenditure of some EUR 25 mln, in particular for 2-ethyl hexyl acrylate production and for the superabsorbent plant operated on behalf of Sumitomo Seika.