Trinseo PLC announced Oct. 6 plans to permanently close its methyl methacrylate (MMA) production at Rho, Italy, and acetone cyanohydrin (ACH) production at Porto Marghera, Italy. Both facilities will be shut down by the end of 2025, the company said. Trinseo, based in Wayne, Pennsylvania, will source MMA feedstock from third-party suppliers to maintain continuity for downstream production, the company said.
The closures are expected to streamline operations and improve overall efficiency while it continues operating its polymethyl methacrylate and depolymerization pilot facility in Rho.
In addition, Trinseo has begun consultations with the Works Council at its Schkopau, Germany, plant regarding a potential closure of polystyrene (PS) production and the consolidation of remaining PS operations into its Tessenderlo, Belgium, site. The company said this action, if approved, would further optimize European production.
The Italy closures will involve workforce reductions and decommissioning of production equipment, with actions expected to result in improved operational performance and moderate cost savings, the company said.
“These plans are a byproduct of the continuing challenges we and our peers in the European chemical industry have been facing for the past several years, including weak end market demand, high energy prices, and increased imports from Asia,” Frank Bozich, Trinseo president and CEO, said in a statement. “These decisions are never easy. Our primary focus is on the safety of our colleagues and a respectful transition that aligns with our philosophy of simply doing the right thing.”
