Chemicals factory confirms it is axing 220 jobs

A chemicals company has confirmed 220 jobs will be lost as it closes part of its factory in south Wales.

The factory in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, has been producing chemicals since the 1940s, but Dow said cuts were "in response to structural challenges in the region" and the jobs would be "phased out" over the next three to four years.

The plant makes siloxanes - chemical compounds made of silicone and oxygen that are the building blocks of the silicones found in sealants and adhesives.

Other areas of the operation in the factory will be unaffected but two of the firm's other European sites - both in Germany - will also be subject to cuts, bringing the total jobs lost to about 800.

The shutdown is expected to begin in mid-2026 and is set to be finished by the end of 2027, "with potential decommissioning and demolition to continue into 2029 as needed".

This announcement follows £736m ($1bn) of cuts announced by Dow in January, resulting in a workforce reduction of about 1,500 roles globally.

Dow chairman and CEO Jim Fitterling said: "Our industry in Europe continues to face difficult market dynamics, as well as an ongoing challenging cost and demand landscape."

The cuts to the three sites, including Barry, were first proposed in April and, on 30 June, Dow's board of directors approved them.

The initial proposal was for 291 roles to be axed in Barry, which was later reduced to 220.

The Unite union, which represents workers in Barry, previously criticised the move as "outrageous", adding it would have a "devastating" impact on staff.

About 850 people work at the site, which has been wholly owned by the American chemicals company since 2016.