Henkel closes four
adhesives plants in Europe
Henkel is streamlining its expanded adhesives production and is to close four adhesives plants in Europe, following a major purchase. The integration of National Starch into the Düsseldorf-based group will be accompanied by the closure of the Kleve plant, two in France and one in the UK. This was confirmed by a Henkel spokesman at the end of November. In Italy, one production line is being shifted from one plant to a nearby location. However, the reduced plant is not to be closed. In Kleve, located in the Lower Rhine, production will cease at the end of 2010. The five adhesive plants had nearly 500 employees. How many jobs will eventually be eliminated is not yet clear.
Henkel completed the biggest acquisition in its history in early April by taking over the National Starch adhesive business of AkzoNobel for approximately €3.7 billion euros. The acquisition increases the sales of the Henkel Adhesives division by approximately €1.8 billion to €7.5 billion euros, on a full-year basis.