CHEMICAL COMPANY FOR SALE

8:16am Wednesday 21st May 2008

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THE future is uncertain for 40 workers at a Northwich chemical company after it announced plans to sell up.

Solvay is looking for a buyer for the part of its business that is carried out at a production plant at Lostock Works, pictured above.

The plant, in Works Lane, is one of five worldwide that carries out Solvay's speciality precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) business.

It employs 40 workers at its Lostock site and a further 240 people globally, in Austria, France, Germany and Italy.

Martin Griffiths, safety and communications manager for Solvay, said: "The PCC business is the only Solvay operation at Lostock but the likelihood is that if the business was sold it will carry on operating with any company that takes over.

"It would be up to the new business whether they want to expand or not but we would be looking at a company who would want to make a going business of the operation."

Workers' representatives have been informed of Solvay's decision to sell and workers were told on Thursday with a public announcement made yesterday, Tuesday.

Paul Dandoy, general manager of the Solvay unit which hosts the PCC activities, said: "Speciality PCC is a strong and profitable business with a leading position in Europe.

"However, it could be further enhanced through the combination with a complementary operator with a larger scope in terms of growth, geography, markets and product portfolio."

Currently Solvay is a leading European supplier of PCC, which is used mainly as an additive for sealants, adhesives, plastic, inks, paints and healthcare.