Syngenta to start consultation as 377 Grangemouth jobs face risk

What’s happening at Syngenta’s Grangemouth plant

Syngenta said on Thursday it will begin a formal consultation with trade unions and staff about shutting down its Grangemouth chemical facility. The company has not taken a final decision, but 377 jobs are now listed as at risk.

The move follows a “detailed review” that found the site is “significantly more expensive to operate than other production sites” and that savings identified so far were insufficient to bridge the competitiveness gap.

Who’s speaking

Mike Hollands, president of Syngenta UK, told reporters, “The workforce at Grangemouth is highly skilled and passionate, but despite all efforts we have not been able to make the site competitive compared to alternative supply options.”

Scotland’s Economy Secretary Stephen Flynn called the plans “extremely disappointing” and urged the UK government to release the £200 million pledged from the National Wealth Fund. Reindustrialisation Minister Blair McDougall said officials had “explored every possible avenue” for support, while UK Secretary of State for Scotland Douglas Alexander pledged to work with the Scottish Government to secure long‑term jobs for the cluster.

Financial backdrop

The plant received £2.2 million from Scottish Enterprise in 2024 to expand production – a grant that backed a £14.7 million project creating 38 new roles and protecting 14 existing ones.

In addition, the UK government had earlier promised £200 million from the National Wealth Fund for Grangemouth, a pot that, according to Flynn, has not yet been allocated.

What’s next for the workforce

During the consultation period Syngenta has said it will consider “alternative paths” for the site and is committed to “genuine consultation” with unions.

The Scottish Government’s PACE programme is ready to support any redundancies, and local MSPs have called for all possible measures to protect the community.

If the plant does close, the loss would add to a string of recent closures in the Grangemouth cluster – the oil refinery shut in April 2023, and Alexander Dennis announced the closure of its Falkirk plant earlier this year, together accounting for roughly 900 jobs lost across the region.

Key numbers at a glance

• Jobs at risk: 377 ( Syngenta announcement )
• Scottish Enterprise grant: £2.2 million ( Herald Scotland )
• Project cost: £14.7 million ( Herald Scotland )
• New jobs created: 38 ( Herald Scotland )
• Existing roles safeguarded: 14 ( Herald Scotland )
• National Wealth Fund pledge: £200 million ( Stephen Flynn )