ExxonMobil to Close Fife Ethylene Plant, Risking 429 Jobs

ExxonMobil announced Tuesday that it will close its Fife Ethylene Plant at Mossmorran in Scotland by February, putting 179 direct jobs and 250 contractor positions at risk in a move the company attributes to the UK's economic and policy environment combined with market challenges.

The facility, which has operated since 1985 and produces ethylene for plastics manufacturing, represents a key part of the UK's chemical production sector. ExxonMobil stated it explored options to sustain production and sought potential buyers but found no viable path forward due to high supply costs, plant efficiency issues, and broader conditions. "We considered various options to continue production and tested the market for a potential buyer, but the UK's current economic and policy environment combined with market conditions, high supply costs and plant efficiency do not create a competitive future for the site," the company said in a statement. About 50 employees may transfer to ExxonMobil's petrochemical site in Fawley, England, though the distance of nearly 500 miles poses challenges for many.

Paul Greenwood, ExxonMobil's UK chairman, detailed the factors during an interview on BBC Radio 4's...