[Netherlands] Tata Closes Netherlands Unit

Tata Chemicals announced at the end of October 2009 that it has decided to close one of its three European manufacturing facilities of Brunner Mond Europe, as part of a plan to rationalize its operations. Owned by Tata Chemicals since February 2006, Brunner Mond Europe has two sites in Northwich, UK, and one in Delfzijl, Netherlands. The decision to close the Netherlands unit, which was used to produce soda ash and sodium bicarbonate, employing 120 people, was made after an analysis of costs and productivity. R. Mukundan, MD of Tata Chemicals, said the closure of Brunner Mond's Netherlands unit would not affect the company's UK operations.