Hundreds of jobs are at risk as global energy giant ExxonMobil will close its manufacturing plant in Fife.
The Mossmorran-based Fife Ethylene Plant, which manufactures fundamental components for plastic production, will cease operations following four decades of chemical manufacturing in the UK.
The announcement represents a further setback for Scotland’s industrial landscape, arriving months after Grangemouth’s oil refinery terminated operations following more than 100 years of activity.
That closure resulted in over 400 redundancies at the central belt facility, with Petroineos attributing the decision to escalating operational expenses.
The Fife facility has served as a significant contributor to Britain’s chemical production sector throughout its 40-year operational history.
ExxonMobil attributed the shutdown to Britain’s “current economic and policy environment combined with market conditions, high supply costs and plant efficiency” which fail to establish a viable future for the facility.
The corporation revealed it had explored multiple alternatives to maintain operations and attempted to locate a purchaser for the site, but these efforts proved unsuccessful.
In its announcement, the company stated: “FEP has been a cornerstone of chemical production in the UK for 40 years, and its closure reflects the challenges of operating in a policy environment that is accelerating the exit of vital industries, domestic manufacturing, and the high-value jobs they provide.”
The firm acknowledged the consequences for its employees, stating: “We understand and regret the impact this will have on our loyal and valued workforce, contractors and local communities.”
