ExxonMobil's Fife Ethylene Plant at Mossmorran will close in February next year, putting more than 400 jobs at risk. The company failed to find a viable buyer despite extensive efforts to sell the facility. Paul Greenwood, ExxonMobil UK's chair, confirmed the closure before the Scottish Affairs Committee on Wednesday - but sparked controversy when he couldn't provide the company's UK profit figures.
Labour MP Douglas McAllister challenged Greenwood during the parliamentary hearing, calling it "extraordinary" that the UK chair didn't know how much profit ExxonMobil made in Britain last year. Greenwood stated the UK arm made a "loss" but admitted: "I don't have that figure off the top of my head."
The exchange intensified when McAllister questioned whether corporate profits could save the site. "You're the UK chair of ExxonMobil and you can't give me the figure," McAllister pressed. Greenwood responded: "I'm here talking about Fife Ethylene Plant and the fact that we've closed it and you've clearly tried to find an area which I'm not able to answer [...]"
Global Profits vs. Local Losses
Committee chair Patricia Ferguson highlighted the contrast between local losses and global success. She corrected Greenwood's estimate that ExxonMobil made "around $30 billion globally last year" to $33 billion, with $36 billion distributed to shareholders. Meanwhile, the Mossmorran site operates at a £300 million loss despite £270 million in capital investment.
Greenwood defended the closure decision, stating: "We did not find anybody who is able to offer us a viable offer of taking it over." He emphasized the company would prefer to sell: "Clearly, we would obviously sell the plant if we could, it's clearly a much better option for everybody involved – including us – than shutting the plant down [...]"
Economic Viability Disputed
The company attributes the plant's non-viability to both market conditions and government policy. McAllister challenged this narrative: "The line you seem to be adopting this morning very much is that this is all the UK Government's fault in relation to their policy rather than any bad decisions on the part of ExxonMobil [...]" He questioned why corporate profits couldn't maintain operations, especially with Christmas approaching.
Bob MacGregor, industrial officer for Unite trade union, called for pausing the closure to allow more time for buyer searches. He criticized both the UK and Scottish Governments for offering only "kind words and sound bites" without "any real, tangible evidence of any practical support, financial support."
The criticism comes as the UK Government announced a £120 million investment on Wednesday for an ethylene plant in Grangemouth - a similar facility to the one closing at Mossmorran.
Site's Future
Around 110 ExxonMobil staff will face redundancy next spring. The closure affects about 180 total employees alongside 250 contractors. The remaining workers will continue employment during demolition work lasting up to two years, returning the land to a "greenfield basis."
Greenwood left the door open for alternative proposals: "If there's anybody who wishes to come and talk to us... around potential use of that site, potential ways in which they can take over ownership of that and do something, then we're open to all of that."
The Fife Ethylene Plant produces a key component used in plastics.
The Scottish Government has organized events through its Pace scheme to support redundant workers.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
