Fears that the US chemical company Dow will shut down two plants in Saxony-Anhalt and Saxony are causing great concern in the region. In particular, the plant in Böhlen, Saxony, is a central starting point at the beginning of many production chains in the central German chemical triangle, according to the Halle-Dessau Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK). "Its closure directly threatens numerous other plants and companies as well as jobs in the entire region." The chemical industry at the Leuna and Schkopau sites accounts for a third of the industrial turnover in southern Saxony-Anhalt.
"Once it's shut down, it won't come back," said Fabian Magerl, Managing Director of the Leipzig Chamber of Industry and Commerce, referring to the threat of closure. An industrial lifeline would be damaged with domino effects for an entire value chain.
The company had previously announced possible cutbacks: "Dow is considering various options, the most likely of which are a temporary shutdown or closure of the plants." This is due to overcapacity in the market, which is being exacerbated by increasing imports, high energy, raw material and CO2 costs and increasing regulatory burdens. Final decisions have not yet been made. The site review in Europe should be completed by mid-2025. A decision will then be made.
