Type
Internal restructuring
Country
World
Region
Location of affected unit(s)
USA, Switzerland (Sisseln, Kaiseraugst, Birsfelden), Germany (Grenzach), Netherlands (Geleen)
Sector
Manufacturing
Manufacture Of Chemicals And Pharamceuticals
Manufacture Of Chemicals And Chemical Products
20 - Manufacture of chemicals and chemical products

500 - 1,910 jobs
Number of planned job losses
Job loss
Announcement Date
30 July 2003
Employment effect (start)
1 July 2003
Foreseen end date
1 December 2006

Description

Bad results during the second quarter of 2003 lead to the dismissal of 500 jobs. The restructuring plan put in place aims to realise an economy scheme of 75 billion euros annually. In October 2003, as part of the reorganisation announced earlier, Pharma Chemicals had to suppress 200 jobs in Greenville (US). In December 2003, 290 jobs were shed on the production site of Grenzach (Germany), formerly owned by the Roche Group. A strong competition makes this restructuring unavoidable. There is a social agreement on this restructuring programme, named VITAL, that will be implemented during the next two years. In February 2004, DSM Nutritional Products, the former Roche division Vitamins & Fine Chemicals, which was acquired by DSM on 30 September 2003, announced further steps in its integration and transformation process. These restructuring measures will lead to a loss of about 420 jobs in total, whereof about 280 at the Sisseln site and about 140 in Kaiseraugst and Birsfelden. Implementation will take place in phases in the period 2004-2006. Management and employee representatives have agreed upon a social plan. In February 2004, the Copernicus project aimed at improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the company’s manufacturing activities at the Chemelot site in Geleen (Netherlands) is expected to lead to the loss of some 500 jobs in support services and manufacturing staff departments. DSM will also investigate whether a number of services can be outsourced. Together with the trade unions DSM is working on a social plan.


Sources

  • 20 December 2003: DSM - Press releases (www.dsm.com)
  • 5 February 2004: DSM - Press releases (www.dsm.com)
  • 2 October 2003: Het Financieele Dagblad
  • 25 July 2003: NRC Handelsblad

Citation

Eurofound (2003), DSM, Internal restructuring in World, factsheet number 59243, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/59243.