Overview
- Dow confirmed it will close the Chloralkali and vinyl facilities in Schkopau and the Böhlen steamcracker by end-2027, putting about 550 jobs at risk.
- The company has launched a formal consultation process with works councils to set timelines and explore socially responsible mitigation measures.
- VCI Nordost and IG BCE warn that losing these energy-intensive units could trigger a domino effect across the tightly integrated Mitteldeutsches Chemiedreieck cluster.
- Saxony’s Economics Minister Dirk Panter has urged Dow to guarantee social protections for the affected workforce.
- Regional bodies are pressing Dow to seek potential investors and strategies to preserve key chemical infrastructure and local supply chains.