亨斯迈(NYSE：HUN)于7月6日在其官网宣布，将在今年第四季度关闭一座位于南非Umbogintwini工业园区的钛白粉工厂，该工厂现有产能25000吨。此次关闭工厂预计会在未来两年之内为亨斯迈带来约2亿美金的现金回流，此外，关闭工厂也将为公司节省一部分费用。
Umbogintwini的工厂约有140名员工，是亨斯迈颜料助剂分部中最小的也是历史最悠久的钛白粉工厂。根据计划，该工厂将持续生产至2016年第四季度，此后，亨斯迈将从其在欧洲的钛白粉工厂向该地区用户供货。
亨斯迈颜料助剂部负责人Simon Turner称：“尽管最近我们从低谷状态中稍许恢复了一些，但我们的利润还是远低于历史标准。在这样的境况下，继续降低成本、协同运作的战略思路就显得非常重要。我们的生产网络产能充足，即使关闭了这家最小的工厂，也能达到客户需求，并且提升综合竞争力。我们非常感激Umbogintwini工厂所有员工的支持，并将与他们和其他代表紧密合作，确保以我们应有的关心和尊重与他们共同度过这一艰难时期。”
亨斯迈总裁兼CEO Peter R. Huntsman表示：“此次关闭工厂将提升亨斯迈颜料助剂业务的竞争力，这也将是我们业务细分的重要一步。我们计划通过转让给股东或其他战略性的交易方式来完成颜料助剂部的拆分独立。亨斯迈会继续朝着这个目标勤勉努力。”
原文如下：
Huntsman
Announces Plan to Close its South African Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) Manufacturing Facility
THE WOODLANDS, Texas–Huntsman Corporation (NYSE: HUN) announced today a plan to close its 25,000 metric ton TiO2 manufacturing facility based in Umbogintwini, South Africa during the fourth quarter 2016. Closure of the facility will have a cash pay-back of less than two years. Cost savings from this closure are in addition to the approximately $200 million previously announced.
Employing approximately 140 Associates, the Umbogintwini plant is the smallest and oldest TiO2 manufacturing plant in the Pigments and Additives division. Under the proposed plan, production at the plant will end during the fourth quarter 2016 after which Huntsman will serve its customers in the region with existing capacity from its European TiO2 facilities.
Simon Turner, President of Huntsman Pigments and Additives division said:“Our margins remain well below historical norms despite some recent recovery from trough conditions. It is critical that we continue our successful cost reduction and synergy program to combat such conditions. We have sufficient capacity across our production network to allow us to close our smallest facility, still meet our customers’needs and improve our overall competitiveness. We appreciate the support of our associates at the Umbogintwini facility and we will work closely with them and our representative groups to ensure that we manage this difficult situation with due care and respect.”
Peter R. Huntsman, President and CEO of Huntsman Corporation commented:“This closure increases the competitive positioning of our Pigments and Additives business and is an important step in the process as we work towards a separation. The separation of our Pigments and Additives business will come through either a spin to our shareholders or other strategic transacti on. We continue to diligently work towards this objective."
