Ineos Inovyn: Closure of two plants in Rheinberg announced

Chemical company Ineos has announced plans to shut down two production units at its Rheinberg site in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The closures will affect 175 jobs. The company cites sharply rising energy and CO₂ costs, as well as a lack of external tariff protection, as the main reasons.

According to Ineos, the closures involve the Allylics unit, which produces a key raw material for epoxy resins, and an electrochemical facility producing chlorine. Both chemicals are essential for applications in defense and aerospace, automotive manufacturing, water treatment, and medical technology.

Ineos points to a structural crisis in the European chemical industry. Since 2019, production in Germany has fallen by 18%, accompanied by plant closures and reduced investment. In recent years, the company has shut sites in the UK, Belgium, and Germany, and has mothballed or prepared for closure facilities in France and Spain.

Ineos CEO Stephen Dossett sharply criticized European energy and trade policies. While the U.S. has imposed high tariffs to block low-cost imports from Asia, benefiting from cheap energy, Europe remains "open to high-emission products produced with inexpensive Russian feedstocks." This, he said, is eroding competitiveness, leading to further plant closures and increasing dependence on imports.

At Rheinberg, Ineos intends to maintain its PVC production, preserving around 300 jobs. The company said it would require state support to cover transition costs. Management emphasized that it will work with employees and partners to mitigate the impact of the closures but cannot secure remaining operations without government assistance.

More information: www.ineos.com

Ineos Inovyn, Rheinberg, Germany