The Chemours Company, a global chemical company in titanium technologies, fluoroproducts and chemical solutions, announced two decisions that are elements of the company’s five-point transformation plan.
The company will close its Edge Moor manufacturing site located outside Wilmington, Delaware, which produces titanium dioxide (TiO2) and will shut down a TiO2 line (line 3) at its Johnsonville plant in New Johnsonville, Tennessee. Together, these actions will eliminate roughly 150,000t of TiO2 capacity while refocusing TiO2 production at four manufacturing sites that employ the full range of Chemours TiO2 technology strengths. These changes position Chemours to grow in the TiO2 industry by enhancing its production capabilities.
Photo courtesy of Chemours
The Edge Moor plant is configured to produce a TiO2 product for use in the paper industry, in applications that have declined steadily for years, with an accompanying slowdown in demand that has resulted in underused capacity at Edge Moor. The Edge Moor plant has approximately 200 employees and 130 contractors. Chemours will redeploy employees wherever possible and where redeployment is not possible employees will receive severance benefits.
As part of the company’s transformation plan, these closures are expected to result in a USD 45M annual net cost reduction.