UK-based Venator Materials - the Huntsman pigments & additives spin-off - has announced its intention to close two colored pigment plants in the US by the end of 2017.

The plants are located in Easton, Pennsylvania and St Louis, Missouri. Venator’s president and CEO, Simon Turner, said the closures were part of its $90 million business improvement plan that will be completed by the end of 2018.

"We have been working hard to improve the efficiency of our manufacturing network and we have successfully ramped up production at our Augusta, Georgia, site," said Jan Buberl, Venator's vice president of color pigments.

The company has not disclosed how many jobs will be affected as a result of the closures.