Graham Stuart said he had been meeting bosses from the chemicals giant regularly in recent months
A view of the INEOS Acetyls facility in Saltend, near Hull.(Image: Stuart Conway for Ineos)
The mothballing of three chemicals plants near Hull has been described as “another serious blow” to the area by MP Graham Stuart. Following Ineos’ bombshell news it was suspending operations at its Saltend Chemical Park plants, the Beverley and Holderness MP says he is seeking an urgent meeting with Ministers.
Uncompetitive gas prices have been blamed for the move, which raises concern for 245 direct jobs at the plants and an estimated 4,000 supported by their presence in the region. Ineos says the suspensions are until further notice, coming after 60 jobs were lost there last year.
The conglomerate’s billionaire owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe said the UK Government’s energy policy is “leading to economic vandalism on an industrial scale”. Ineo’s Saltend follows the closure of Vivergo’s neighbouring bioethanol plant little over a year ago.
Mr Stuart said: “This is a sad day for Saltend and another serious blow for industry in our area, coming so soon after the closure of Vivergo next door. My thoughts are first with the 245 people who work at these plants and their families. I’m pleased Ineos is keeping its workforce in place while it tries to secure cheaper gas and restart production, but there is no disguising how serious this is.
“I’ve worked with Ineos for years and have been meeting them regularly in recent months as the pressures on Saltend have grown. Ineos says high UK gas prices have made production here uneconomic. Gas isn’t just used to power these plants, it is also a raw material in what they make, so its price has a huge impact on whether they can compete with producers overseas.
“The consequences go far beyond the plant gates. Major industries like this support skilled jobs, apprenticeships and businesses across the Humber. If we lose them, we don’t just lose jobs. We lose skills and experience that have taken generations to build and are incredibly difficult to replace.”
Mr Stuart went on to say that he wanted to see the plants producing again and that he had written to the Business Secretary asking for an urgent meeting to discuss what the Government can do to help get production restarted and secure the long-term future of Saltend.
He added: “Britain should be a country that makes things. We need an energy and industrial policy that allows companies to invest here, compete internationally and provide good jobs for communities like ours.”
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