A PETROCHEMICALS firm, which is cutting more than 100 North-East jobs, says it is not closing part of its business in the region.

Sabic UK, which employs about 700 staff on Teesside, will cut 110 posts and about 50 contractor jobs after bosses said it had become caught in a “perfect storm” of increased foreign competition and the European recession.

Last night, the company, whose operations at Wilton, near Redcar, include a world-scale Olefins cracker, making products for use in plastic bottles, CDs and tyres, dismissed reports it was closing its North Tees ethylene liquefaction complex.

A spokesman said: “That area of the business remains part of core operating strategy.”

The spokesman said the firm, which also runs a low density polyethylene plant, supplying materials for plastic packaging for food and electrical goods, was continuing to consult staff on job cuts.

Mike Ducker, Sabic Teesside manufacturing director, previously told The Northern Echo it remained committed to the North-East, and would make a decision on workers' positions later this year.