LyondellBasell to Close LDPE Unit at Carrington, U.K.

09-17-2009: LyondellBasell Industries announced that it will close the low density polyethylene (LDPE) plant located at its Carrington, U.K., site by the end of this year.

“Taking into account the current market environment and our future projections, we’ve concluded that the plant is no longer economically viable,” said Tassilo Bader, LyondellBasell Senior Vice President, Olefins and Polyethylene, Europe and International. “We are able to meet projected customer demand for LDPE with product supplies from our other LDPE facilities.”

LyondellBasell will focus its LDPE production activities in Europe at Wesseling, Germany and at the company’s world-scale plant located in Berre, France. “Market conditions require economies of scale and low conversion costs,” Bader said. “With more than 300 KT of capacity, our Berre plant represents a dramatic step change in the production of LDPE, with superior investment and operational economics.”

With a nameplate capacity of 185 KT per year, the Carrington plant is one of the company’s smallest LDPE manufacturing sites. LyondellBasell has begun consultations with Trade Union and employee representatives to determine the appropriate path forward for approximately 50 employees who will be affected by the closure of the LDPE facility.

The 210 KT per year polypropylene plant located at the Carrington site is not affected by this business decision.