CONFIRMATION was last night given that the closure of a threatened Teesside plant is to go ahead, in a move that was described as a tragedy for the region and wider UK.

The Dow plant – the UK’s only producer of the key ethylene oxide (EO) chemical – was last night condemned to closure by its parent company, which said the search for a buyer for the plant and its assets had drawn a blank.

The site, at Wilton, near Redcar, will close at the end of this month, with the loss of 55 jobs – and the potential for the loss of a further 500 direct jobs and another 2,000 indirect positions across the country through the end of UK EO production.

The move comes after months of efforts to find a new owner for the site, which announced its closure plans in July.

A feasibility study of the plant, to establish its future use, was also carried out late last year, in what was seen as a major step forward in finding a buyer.

The closure confirmation also appeared to seal the fate of neighbouring plant Croda, which announced its intention to shut its Wilton operation as a direct result of Dow’s demise.

Union leaders last night described Dow’s impending closure as a tragedy, but pledged to continue to search for a buyer.

Phil McNulty, national chemicals officer for Unite the union, said: “It is a tragedy there isn’t a new owner to take over this site and a tragedy that it might close. But it isn’t over and we haven’t given up hope. We will continue to look for a buyer right up until the last possible date.”

In a statement from Dow, the company said it will do everything possible to redeploy redundant workers to other sites in the group.

It said: “Since our announcement in July, Dow has always remained open to considering options that were commercially viable. However, without a viable option being identified, Dow has confirmed to its employees its earlier decision to shutdown the plant by the end of the month.

“This is extremely difficult news to impart, particularly when so much effort has gone into seeking an interested party through both private and public sources.”

Bob Bolam, regional officer for Unite, urged Dow not to decommission the plant, to allow a buyer to be sought even after its closure.

“It is a very sad day indeed for Teesside, but if Dow was to decommission the site, it would give no opportunity for anyone to come in and buy it beyond January,” he said.

“I would urge the company to leave it in its current state so that it could be opened up again should a buyer come forward.”