Citing changes in EU legislation, French chemical producer Arkema has presented to its works council a plan to close the R134a fluorogas plant at its Pierre-Bénite site in France, with effect from the first quarter of 2017.

The site that produces fluorinated products for wide-ranging applications, with a heavy emphasis on R134a, would refocus on other fluorogases, fluorinated blends and derivatives for the stationary air-conditioning, refrigeration and non-emissive uses markets, as well as the manufacture of fluoropolymers and certain catalysts.

Arkema noted that the European R134a market is set to undergo “an inevitable decline” from the beginning of 2017 as an EU directive banning the fluorogas’s use in automotive air conditioning applications – the main outlet for the French producer’s R134a business in Europe – goes into effect.                 

Shuttering production facilities for R134 at Pierre-Bénite would require a reorganization of the site but at the same time improve competitiveness, the company said, adding that the closure would have no effect on the number of jobs, as the 38 employees made redundant would be redeployed.