Sasol this year will begin the process of shutting down its chemical plant in Cornplanter Township, a company representative based in Louisiana confirmed to the newspaper on Tuesday.
The decision affects 34 local employees of the South Africa-based company, which, on Jan. 31, made the decision to cease operations in the Oil City area, according to Sarah Hughes, manager of stakeholder relations.
“In March of 2020, there was a review of global assets and it was decided this facility did not fit in with our future strategies,” said Hughes, who was not specific as to what those “strategies” involve.
“The closing activities will begin during the course of this year,” Hughes said, but that doesn’t necessarily translate to the plant shutting down during the course of 2022.
“There is no date to close. There will be a decommission and deconstruction process,” Hughes said, which will be overseen by a steering committee to ensure everything abides by the law in protecting the public and the environment. “We are committed to updating the public as (information) becomes available.”
According to Hughes, the process of informing the local employees, along with “close stakeholders,” began Monday and continued Tuesday, depending on workers’ shifts. Employees at Sasol’s other operations in North America will be informed today.
“Hopefully, we will be able to place them with the company in other locations,” she said. “If that doesn’t work out with their families, we have resources to support them in their job search.”
The news from Sasol made the rounds in the community Tuesday as the shutdown was brought up during both the Venango County and Cranberry Township economic development committee meetings.
According to Hughes, Sasol’s primary chemical manufacturing focus at the Cornplanter plant revolves around BHT and meta-cresol.
According to Sasol’s website, BHT, an antioxidant, is used as a stabilizer in fuels, lubricants and other oils, polymers, rubber, printing inks, adhesives, waxes, food and food packaging, and animal feed.
Meta-cresol, according to the website, is used in the manufacturing of resins, antioxidants, agricultural chemicals, pharmaceuticals, color formers, flavor and fragrance chemicals, and various chemical intermediates.
In 2012, Sasol acquired full ownership of the Route 8 facility, which had been the Merisol plant. The plant is well-known as the old Koppers facility.
