Cheshire West and Chester Council support for closure threatened CF Fertilisers workforce

The company – a subsidiary of US-based CF Industries Holdings, Inc –  says it  wants to focus its manufacturing operations in the UK exclusively at the Billingham manufacturing facility in Teesside

The company is proposing to permanently close the Ince manufacturing facility near Chester, “which could result in up to 283 redundancies at the site; the Ince manufacturing facility has not produced ammonia since September 2021.” The company said on Wednesday.

Following the announcement, Councillor Louise Gittins, Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council and Andrew Lewis, Chief Executive met the company on Wednesday afternoon (8 June) to offer support for the company and its employees.

Councillor Gittins said: “This is sad news, and our conversation this afternoon was to offer help and support for the employees and families should these proposals go ahead.

“Our business support teams are ready to do all they can to assist the workforce, the company and any of the local supply chains.”

In such circumstances the Council would offer a comprehensive support package for any staff facing redundancy including the National Careers Service, Department for Work & Pensions, Springboard Cheshire, the Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership  and Work Zone programmes.

Added Councillor Gittins: “The Ellesmere Port Industrial Area is currently seeing billions of pounds in future investment with many businesses expanding especially in the green energy areas and Hydrogen production.

“My hope now is that any of the workforce affected would be able to take advantage of new opportunities in this exciting and expanding area.”