During its quarterly conference call held today at 2:00 pm, Cabot Corporation provided details of its restructuring plan announced in December. Cabot will shut down its carbon black plants in Stanlow, UK and Berre, France, and will mothball carbon black capacity at its plants in Sarnia, Ontario and Merak, Indonesia. Cabot will also close a Cabot Plastics plant in Dukinfield, UK, a tantalum powder plant in Boyertown, PA, and its regional office in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The company will reduce work hours at its Fumed Metal Oxides plant in Rheinfelden, Germany, where utilization will be reduced to very low rates or even zero rates going forward.
Patrick Prevost, President & CEO of Cabot, gave a figure during the call that the restructuring would remove 250 to 300 KT of capacity. According to Notch figures, the permanent shutdowns in the UK and France would remove 175 KTPY, which would mean that a total of 75 to 125 KTPY would be mothballed at Canada and Indonesia. The mothballed units would be available to be restarted as dictated by demand.
The question no one asked: Has the construction phase of the new rubber black units at Tianjin been completed? And how long will the startup of these units be delayed?
Having been an x employer to Cabot Stanlow for over 7 years, I was extremely sad to hear the devestaing news of the plant closure, this will be a very sad time for all employes both Cabot & Contractor. Cabot Stanlow has been in the community for over 60 years, you truley can say this is an end of an era.
Comment by John Smart — January 29, 2009 @ 6:12 pm
Having worked at the Stanlow site for 33 years it is with much regret and sadness that the time has come to close the plant. The current employees and management team have worked closely together for many years to establish the best practices in safety and total quality of Carbon black technics in the world. We are now committed to ending this chapter in our working lives with dignity and professionalism and will continue to provide our remaining customers with speedy shipments until the end. I am very proud to have worked with these people over the years, and hope that all Cabot employees affected by the closures go on to have prosperous and rewarding future careers.
Comment by Derek Jones — January 31, 2009 @ 1:05 pm
I retired 10 years ago after 32 years at the stanlow plant, it was a great place to work and had a loyal hardworking staff. I would like to wish all those who are now redundent good luck and hope they all find work soon.
Comment by Denis Rutherford — February 4, 2009 @ 7:17 am
Speedy shipments my arse !!
Comment by Dearly Departed — February 10, 2009 @ 6:02 pm
I never did much for a living , I never worked too hard, I made my money by sleeping and throwing coats out on the yard.
I looked after my lads for a reason – “a promise they would keep”………that for 35 years at CABOT ….they paid me for being asleep.
Goodnight and Goodluck. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Comment by Dave Jones — February 11, 2009 @ 5:12 pm
Having worked at Dukinfield for a few years, I have to say the staff there are getting exactly what they deserve. I have never worked with such a lazy, overpaid, self opinionated workforce and it is no surprise Cabot Corporation are pulling the plug.
Comment by David Livesey — February 12, 2009 @ 4:40 pm
Hi Dave,saw your comment on this site,how are you??.
It would be nice to exchange an email or two.
Regards D Tyree.
Comment by Dave Tyree. — November 2, 2009 @ 6:08 am
[…] to reflect several recent restructuring announcements, most prominently Cabot Corporation’s decision to close two of its European carbon black plants and idle capacity in Canada and Indonesia. Cabot Corp. made […]
Pingback by Carbon Black Report has been Updated « News from Notch Consulting Group — February 18, 2009 @ 7:16 am
Real shame, Stanlow & Dukinfield were both excellent places to work and the people involved amongst the best ( with the odd exception !!, perhaps DL’s opinion has been tainted by one of these odd exceptions ).
Since leaving a few years ago after 13 years service I have worked for many companies and few if any match Cabot. all the best to my old workmates, best of luck.
Comment by Rob Waldie — February 23, 2009 @ 11:54 am
Hi Rob,saw your comment on the site.I am now living in Spain as you probably know.It would be nice to exchange an email or two.
regards D tyree.
Comment by Dave Tyree. — November 2, 2009 @ 6:05 am
I have lived in the wolverham/Stanlow area all my nearly 60 years, so carbon black has been a focal point that you see everyday.
It is sad that in the econimic climate that it has to go. I also worked as a cleaner and it was indeed black at times I came home sometimes looking like a coalman.
We shall miss carbon black as an icon figure and a place to work but one thing we will not miss and that is the dust that goes with it.
Good luck to the workers who will be losing their jobs.
Comment by Christine Brown — April 1, 2009 @ 2:57 am
GUTTED………It was a good 6 years though……good luck everyone.
Comment by Kev Moz — May 14, 2009 @ 10:31 am