Switzerland-based textile dyes and chemicals supplier Clariant International Ltd. will relocate the headquarters of its Textile Chemicals Business Unit (BU) from Reinach, Switzerland, to Singapore. Senior management and the global textile application technology team will operate out of the new office. The BU's dedicated European sales and marketing operation and a development laboratory, both currently based in Reinach, will move to Muttenz, Switzerland.

"Singapore is the optimum location from which to service the key global textile markets across India, China and South East Asia," said Thomas Winkler, head of Clariant's Textile Chemicals BU. "Positioning our management team close at hand will further strengthen our customer relationships and enhance our ability to respond quickly to the trends of this dynamic sector. At the same time, Europe remains an important market for Clariant and our European textile customers will continue to be served by our dedicated, well-established infrastructure located in the region."

In related company news, Clariant recently completed a Global Asset Network Optimization (GANO) project. The study, which was part of the company's 2009-2010 restructuring program, impacts eight Clariant sites and will result in the elimination of as many as 100 positions worldwide. Approximately 60 Switzerland-based employees will be offered transfers to operations in Germany and Singapore. All changes related to the GANO should be complete by 2013.

In addition to the changes within the Textile Chemicals BU, research and development (R&D) staff in Reinach will move to Frankfurt, where Clariant houses its global R&D group; and the Paper Specialties BU headquarters group will move from Reinach to Muttenz. Clariant will focus its activities in Switzerland on Muttenz and Pratteln, and will no longer have a presence in Reinach by 2013.

The company is contemplating moving its French headquarters from Nanterre to Lamotte, and has begun talks with workers' representatives.

To reduce costs and simplify management structures, Clariant will close three facilities — McHenry in the United States, Delta in Canada and Sefakoy in Turkey. Individual manufacturing lines will be shut down at plants in Roha, India, and Shizuoka, Japan; and three sites in Guatemala City, Guatemala, will be consolidated into a single manufacturing, warehousing and office operation.

October/November/December 2010