Union hopeful of keeping Celanese factory open

A REDUNDANCY consultation period involving 452 workers at Celanese has ended with no definitive answer as to what will happen to its Spondon factory.

Union Unite has told the Derby Telegraph it is still hopeful a deal can be reached to keep the plant open.

Despite the formal three-month consultation period coming to an end, the company has agreed with unions Unite and the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians that negotiations will continue over the future of the factory and its workers.

The company confirmed no definitive date has been set for closure, originally planned for late 2011.

In April, its American owners announced it was considering shutting down the operation, which has been in Derby since 1916.

The factory in Spondon makes acetate flake and tow, materials used to produce cigarette filters and once employed 20,000 people.

Celanese is also considering the future of Clarifoil, the Spondon-based manufacturer of acetate film used for packaging, representing under 10 per cent of turnover.

A spokesman for the company said: "Celanese has concluded the formal consultation process.

"Celanese continues to meet and consult with its Spondon employees and their representatives and is continuing to consider the plan to close its acetate tow and flake manufacturing operations in Spondon, Derby, in the latter part of 2011.

"Regarding Clarifoil, consideration of the future of the acetate film business on site is ongoing."

High UK energy prices and global shifts in demand were blamed for putting the future of the plant in jeopardy, according to its owners.

Despite an efficiency drive, the Spondon site remained more expensive to run than factories in Belgium, the US, Mexico and China, according to the company.

Union Unite believes there is a case to be made for keeping the factory open.

Regional officer Jackie Williams said: "There is still the possibility it will stay open.

"We are still a long way away from site closure."

Unions Unite and Ucatt are also discussing redundancy packages and possible funding for retraining Celanese workers.

The University of Derby, the East Midlands Development Agency, Jobcentre Plus and Business Link are working with Celanese to put together a support package.

MP for Mid-Derbyshire Pauline Latham has written to Secretary of State Vince Cable about her concerns.