France. The multinational chemical company Arkema announced the suspension of production at the La Chambre plant in France. This production unit specializes in the production of amines and various oxygenated solvents, including methylethylketone, mainly used in the manufacture of paint and varnishes.The decision was motivated, in part, by difficulties in the supply of secondary butanol, one of the raw materials used in production.
The company said in a statement that the closure of La Chambre would be completed by the end of this year and would result in the loss of 22 jobs.
Arkema, which has about 15,000 employees in 40 countries, reported sales of 5.6 billion euros (about $7.354 billion) in 2008.
