Dow to close 3 Plants in US

Dow Chemical is closing three US manufacturing plants, including an ethylene production unit in Hahnville, Louisiana in a further bid expand its specialty chemicals business. The other facilities earmarked for closure, a second in Hahnville and one in nearby Plaquemine, make ethylene derivatives for plastics manufacture, including for the production of pharmaceutical packaging.

Dow said that the closures will cost around $700m (€497m), but will allow it to save $100m a year over the longer term. It added that the 100 or so workers who staff the three plants will be offered jobs elsewhere in the company.