Latest news with #Altrad
Scottish Sun
6 days ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Hundreds of jobs face risk at major Scots firm – with ‘400 more axed every two weeks' warning
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) HUNDREDS of Scots oil and gas jobs are set to be axed - with the worst to come. Trade union bosses warn that over 140 jobs with the contractor Altrad, who provided operational support to the Petroineos oil refinery in Grangemouth, face losing their job at the end of June. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Petroineos oil refinery site in Grangemouth is set to close completely Credit: Getty 3 Unite union are urging both governments to speed up the process to transform the site Credit: PA The contractors provide several critical support services between Grangemouth and Mossanman chemical factory in Cowdenbeath. The Fife-based complex consists of two neighbouring plants: the Fife Natural Gas Liquids (FNGL) Plant operated by Shell U.K. Limited and the Fife Ethylene Plant (FEP) operated by ExxonMobil Chemical Limited. Altrad blames the cuts on a work slowdown and ExxonMobil's cost-saving measures. Union bosses are now warning of an 'avalanche' of redundancies, with up to 400 jobs disappearing every fortnight from the sector. At least 98 jobs are already being slashed at Mossmorran, while other contractors Bilfinger, is dropping 10 roles, and Kaefer is cutting 55. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham slammed the UK and Scottish governments for failing to protect workers, saying: 'This is an unfolding jobs crisis in Scotland's oil and gas industry. 'They're accelerating huge losses without any credible jobs plan in place.' A damning report from Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen has revealed the workforce could shrink by 400 jobs every fortnight for the next five years. The UK's oil and gas workforce is estimated to have declined by around 5,000 jobs, from 120,000 in 2023 to around 115,000 in 2024. It said in 'low-case scenarios', where the UK makes 'slower progress' as the country transitions towards renewable energy, jobs in the oil and gas workforce would further drop from 115,000 at present to 'as low as 57,000 by the early 2030s'. Grangemouth was doomed from the moment closure was raised, admits Scotland Secretary An impact assessment by PWC found that the Grangemouth refinery made an economic contribution of £403.6m per annum, and almost 3,000 workers were reliant on the refinery's operations. Earlier this year, ministers floated nine options for Grangemouth's future, but warned it would take £35 billion of private investment to turn it into a green energy hub. The Project Willow document says SAF operations would commence in 2035, with a capital expenditure of up to £2.1 billion required. Up to 270 staff would run the plant. Unite wants the government to fast-track projects like transforming Grangemouth into a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production hub, but says the lack of action is causing a 'domino effect' of job losses across the supply chain. Unite's Scottish secretary Derek Thomson said: 'Scotland is in serious danger of losing thousands of highly skilled jobs while creating no new opportunities in greener industries for workers to transition into.' A UK Government spokesperson said: 'We have taken rapid steps to deliver the next generation of good jobs for North Sea workers in a fair and orderly transition as part of our Plan for Change, including by making the biggest investment in offshore wind and two first-of-a-kind carbon capture storage clusters. 3 Over 140 contractors are set to lose their jobs by the end of the month Credit: Alamy 'This comes alongside Great British Energy, headquartered in Aberdeen, which has already announced a £300 million investment into British supply chains, unlocking significant investment and helping to create thousands of skilled jobs.' A spokesman for the refinery's owners Petroineos previously said: 'The publication of the first Project Willow report is a milestone event for Grangemouth that could mark the beginning of a transformation for the whole cluster and, in time, create many more jobs and growth opportunities across a variety of related industries in Scotland.'
The National
6 days ago
- Business
- The National
More than 140 jobs at Fife chemical plant face redundancy
Unite the union has said the oil and gas industry in Scotland is being hit by an 'avalanche' of job losses as hundreds of Grangemouth and Mossmorran-based contractors face unemployment in the coming weeks. More than 140 jobs with the contractor Altrad, who provided operational support to the Petroineos oil refinery in Grangemouth, face losing their job at the end of June, the union has warned. Altrad held a number of contracts and undertook several critical support services at the refinery, including access, thermal insulation and protective coatings. READ MORE: Britain was 'extension of Scotland', suggest medieval texts uncovered by historian The firm has also announced at least 98 redundancies at the Mossmorran site, claiming a downturn in work and cost savings being imposed by ExxonMobil for the decision. Further job losses at Mossmorran are also taking place with other contractors, as Bilfinger has issued 10 redundancy notices, while Kaefer is cutting 55 jobs. Sharon Graham (below), Unite's general secretary, has called on the UK and Scottish governments to do more to help protect oil and gas workers. (Image: PA) She said: 'There is an avalanche of redundancies taking place across Scotland's oil and gas industry. 'Theses job losses highlight what Unite has been saying about the unfolding jobs crisis in the oil and gas industry. 'The reality is that the UK and Scottish governments are failing to protect thousands of jobs. Government policy is also accelerating these huge losses without any credible jobs plan in place.' The redundancies at Mossmorran follow a report by Robert Gordon University which warned that the UK oil and gas energy workforce could shrink by 400 jobs every two weeks for the next five years. An impact assessment by PwC found that the Grangemouth refinery made an economic contribution of £403.6m per annum, and almost 3000 workers were reliant on the refinery's operations. (Image: free) In total, there are nine possible projects identified by Project Willow for the site. However, under Petroineos' proposals, most of these would not start for several years after the site had closed and jobs had been lost. Unite has argued that many of the identified projects could be fast-tracked and implemented immediately. The union has suggested that there could be a rapid move to convert the existing refinery into a Sustainable Aviation Fuel production hub. Derek Thomson, Unite's Scottish secretary, said that the job losses in Scotland's oil and gas industry are unnecessary and that there should be new energy projects underway to protect workers. He said: 'The historic end of oil refining at Grangemouth is now causing the widely predicted domino effect with hundreds of jobs being lost in the supply chain.' 'Mossmorran contractor jobs are also at risk which will add to the thousands of jobs lost, and the thousands more to come on the horizon. 'The job losses are unnecessary because there should be new energy projects underway like SAF production at Grangemouth. Scotland is in serious danger of losing thousands of highly skilled jobs while creating no new opportunities in greener industries for workers to transition into.' The Scottish and UK governments have been approached for comment.
The Courier
6 days ago
- Business
- The Courier
Fears for 160 jobs at Mossmorran chemical plant
More than 160 jobs have been earmarked for redundancy at Mossmorran chemical plant, unions have warned. Contractors including Altrad, Kaefer and Bilfinger are making scores of staff based at the Fife site redundant, Unite the Union claims. Unite said they are preparing for an 'avalanche of job losses' across the oil and gas sector. At least 98 redundancies are expected by Altrad, with Unite saying the French company is blaming a downturn in work and cost savings being imposed by ExxonMobil, operators of the ethylene plant. Further jobs losses are also occurring with other contractors, with Bilfinger issuing 10 redundancy notices and Kaefer cutting 55 jobs at Mossmorran. It comes as job cuts are also made at Grangemouth Petroineos oil refinery. Mossmorran contractors undertook a number of critical support services at the refinery including access, thermal insulation and protective coatings. During peak activity at the refinery Altrad employed up to 300 workers, Unite said. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: 'There is an avalanche of redundancies taking place across Scotland's oil and gas industry. 'Theses job losses highlight what Unite has been saying about the unfolding jobs crisis in the oil and gas industry. 'The reality is that the UK and Scottish governments are failing to protect thousands of jobs. 'Government policy is also accelerating these huge losses without any credible jobs plan in place.' Altrad, Kaefer and Bilfinger have been approached for comment. The Courier reported on the Scottish Government's plans for a 'just transition' plan for the future of Mossmorran, expected by the end of 2026. And a report by Robert Gordon University warns up to 400 jobs a fortnight could be lost in oil and gas over the next five years. It says the UK is teetering in a fragile 'goldilocks zone'- a narrow window where action now could protect and even grow energy jobs. The study, Striking the Balance, urges the government to act now to prevent a steep decline in skilled roles. With the right investment, policies and delivery, UK offshore energy jobs could grow to 210,000 by 2033, it said.
The National
6 days ago
- Business
- The National
More than 140 jobs at Fife chemical plant to be made redundant
Unite the union has said the oil and gas industry in Scotland is being hit by an 'avalanche' of job losses as hundreds of Grangemouth and Mossmorran-based contractors face unemployment in the coming weeks. More than 140 jobs with the contractor Altrad, who provided operational support to the Petroineos oil refinery in Grangemouth, face losing their job at the end of June, the union has warned. Altrad held a number of contracts and undertook several critical support services at the refinery, including access, thermal insulation and protective coatings. READ MORE: Britain was 'extension of Scotland', suggest medieval texts uncovered by historian The firm has also announced at least 98 redundancies at the Mossmorran site, claiming a downturn in work and cost savings being imposed by ExxonMobil for the decision. Further job losses at Mossmorran are also taking place with other contractors, as Bilfinger has issued 10 redundancy notices, while Kaefer is cutting 55 jobs. Sharon Graham (below), Unite's general secretary, has called on the UK and Scottish governments to do more to help protect oil and gas workers. (Image: PA) She said: 'There is an avalanche of redundancies taking place across Scotland's oil and gas industry. 'Theses job losses highlight what Unite has been saying about the unfolding jobs crisis in the oil and gas industry. 'The reality is that the UK and Scottish governments are failing to protect thousands of jobs. Government policy is also accelerating these huge losses without any credible jobs plan in place.' The redundancies at Mossmorran follow a report by Robert Gordon University which warns that the UK oil and gas energy workforce could shrink by 400 jobs every two weeks for the next five years. An impact assessment by PWC found that the Grangemouth refinery made an economic contribution of £403.6m per annum, and almost 3000 workers were reliant on the refinery's operations. (Image: free) In total, there are nine possible projects identified by Project Willow for the site. However, under PetroIneos' proposals, most of these would not start for several years after the site had closed and jobs had been lost. Unite has argued that many of the identified projects could be fast-tracked and implemented immediately. The union has suggested that there could be a rapid move to convert the existing refinery into a Sustainable Aviation Fuel production hub. Derek Thomson, Unite's Scottish secretary, said that the job losses in Scotland's oil and gas industry are unnecessary and that there should be new energy projects underway to protect workers. He said: 'The historic end of oil refining at Grangemouth is now causing the widely predicted domino effect with hundreds of jobs being lost in the supply chain.' 'Mossmorran contractor jobs are also at risk which will add to the thousands of jobs lost, and the thousands more to come on the horizon. 'The job losses are unnecessary because there should be new energy projects underway like SAF production at Grangemouth. Scotland is in serious danger of losing thousands of highly skilled jobs while creating no new opportunities in greener industries for workers to transition into.' The Scottish and UK governments have been approached for comment.
