Officials reveal plans to close Dow AgroSciences site in King's Lynn

Plans to discontinue the Dow AgroSciences crop protection operations at Lynn have been announced today (Tuesday, September 4) by the Agriculture Division of DowDuPont.

The plans, subject to the outcome of collective consultation on the matter, would see the site, on Estuary Road, close by the end of August 2019, where 65 people are currently employed.

A spokeswoman said: "In order to establish the strongest possible foundation for the intended Agriculture Company to drive sustainable growth over the long term, a strategic assessment has been underway to address certain duplicative sites and facilities, and to relocate certain capabilities.

"One of these difficult decisions was to discontinue operations at the King’s Lynn Formulation and Packaging Manufacturing and R&D facility by the end of August 2019. "Sixty-five people are currently employed at the site, and the company has initiated an employee consultation process."

The spokeswoman said in the coming weeks, the company will work with all the employees through consultation to ensure everyone gets "full support" throughout the process. "Where possible, the company will offer redeployment opportunities," she added.

"With commercial offices and an administration center in Cambridge, a center of excellence and European Regulatory Center in Abingdon and the R&D field station in Wellesbourne, the Agriculture Division of DowDuPont™ remains committed to the UK/Ireland market."

MP for North West Norfolk, Sir Henry Bellingham said it was the "end of an era".

He said: “After 61 years in King’s Lynn it is very bad news indeed that DowDuPont have announced they are closing their agri-science business in King’s Lynn where 65 people are employed. It is certainly an end of an era for Dows in King’s Lynn and a bitter blow for the employees and their families.

“I have spoken to the Site Manager, Julian Beresford-Peirse, who has confirmed that the Styrofoam division in Lynn has been sold to a European company called Ravago which is not affected by Dow’s decision and will continue to operate.

“I understand there is going to be a consultation and I have asked for an urgent meeting with DowDuPont’s agri-business country manager, Adrian Goff, to look at possible actions to salvage something from this situation.

"First of all, they must look at selling the business as a going concern, as well as starting urgent talks with Ravago to see if they can move some of their operations to the site next to the Styrofoam division, and indeed expand.

"I will also be seeking assurances that all of the affected staff will be offered jobs across the DowDuPont business.

“My understanding from Dows is that since the merger with DuPont they have been looking carefully at plants that were operating below capacity, and unfortunately King’s Lynn was one of them.

"Even though the Lynn business has received significant investment over the past few years, and even though some of the products there such as Dursban and Reldan are world beaters used by farmers all around the word, nevertheless the new combined company have much bigger sites elsewhere in Europe.

“Finally, I would like to pay tribute to the hard working staff of the business which have given so much to both Dows and King’s Lynn.

"Of course I am very hopeful that most if not all of the former employees will have a positive future. I am also confident that this exceptional site will provide excellent job opportunities in the future.”