Type
Closure
Country
Netherlands
Region
West-Nederland; Zuid-Holland; Groot-Rijnmond
Location of affected unit(s)
Rotterdam
Sector
Manufacturing
Manufacture Of Basic Metal And Fabricated Metal Products
Manufacture Of Basic Metals
24.42 - Aluminium production

220 jobs
Number of planned job losses
Job loss
Announcement Date
28 December 2021
Employment effect (start)
31 December 2021
Foreseen end date
31 December 2021

Description

The Dutch carbon anode factory Aluchemie in Botlek, Rotterdam, has closed and all 220 employees have lost their jobs. The company could no longer compete with China: it was no longer profitable to produce anodes at a competitive price. Carbon anodes are required to produce aluminium; for each ton of aluminium, over 425 kilos of anodes are needed.

The company planned the closure and worked on a social plan with the FNV, a Dutch Union. People can choose between an outplacement program or a personal budget of €4000 to convert their work experience and knowledge into the necessary certificates. Companies in the region have been contacted to help employees to find a new job elsewhere in the Rotterdam port.

The company was founded in 1964 by the Swiss group Alusuisse, which had aluminum smelters at various locations around the Atlantic Ocean, including in the Netherlands, Norway, Iceland, and Canada. Aluchemie has been a global player for many years, but from 2005 it has been overtaken by production from China.


Sources

  • 28 December 2021: Het Financieele Dagblad (fd.nl)

Citation

Eurofound (2021), Aluchemie, Closure in Netherlands, factsheet number 106212, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/106212.