Lyondellbasell: Close Plastics Plant

Lyondellbasell Industries, whose U.S. operations are currently under bankruptcy protection, said it would close a plastics manufacturing plant in Britain by the end of the year because of weak market conditions. The move to close the low density polyethylene (LDPE) Carrington plant that has a capacity of 185,000-tons per year will eliminate about 50 jobs, the privately owned company said. LDPE is used to make a range of products from food packaging and plastic films to diapers, toys and housewares. A 210,000-ton polypropylene plant at the same site will not be affected by the LDPE shutdown. Lyondellbasell said it would focus its LDPE production at its Wesseling, Germany, and Berre, France, plants.