Solvay to close factories in the UK and the US

The Belgian chemicals and plastics company Solvay has announced a restructuring of its composite materials department. 570 jobs are to be lost with the closure of factories in the UK and the United States. 

The two factories that are to close are in Tulsa in the American state of Oklahoma and in Manchester in the north of England.

The restructuring has come about due a fall in demand from customers that has resulted from the COVID-19 crisis. Composite materials are light but strong materials that are highly suited for use in the aviation and automotive industries, two of the industries that have been hardest hit by the corona crisis.

Solvay has no composite material activities in Belgium so no jobs will be lost here.    

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