Chemical crisis in North Rhine-Westphalia: 100,000 jobs at risk – politics under pressure!

Chemical crisis in North Rhine-Westphalia: 100,000 jobs at risk – politics under pressure!

There is great uncertainty in the chemical industry in North Rhine-Westphalia, which includes around 500 companies with a total of around 100,000 employees. As the World According to reports, several plants are facing closure, which could have a severe impact on the region's economic situation. The Ineos factory in Cologne-Worringen is particularly affected. A new gas and steam plant was recently put into operation here, but the current economic situation is causing great concern among employees.

The SPD opposition is therefore calling for relief measures for the industry, which is struggling with competition from overseas, especially from Asia. The threatened closures are due to cheap energy and a lack of CO₂ pricing, which have become a massive burden for European companies. While Ineos pays between 90 and 100 million euros annually for CO₂ certificates, the NRW Economics Minister, Mona Neubaur, criticized the SPD's initiative. In your opinion, suspending emissions trading sends the wrong signal.

Fears and insecurities

Employees in Cologne are increasingly concerned about their professional future. According to the head of the works council, there is growing fear among the workforce, especially since there is currently a quasi-hiring freeze. Although 161 young people are being trained in Cologne, there is great uncertainty about future prospects.

The closure of further plants is also on the Ineos Group's agenda: two locations in the Wesel district are to be closed, which will endanger 175 jobs. Another plant in the Recklinghausen district is expected to close by the end of 2027, with a further 280 employees losing their jobs. The industrial union IGBCE has already warned of possible domino effects from CO₂ pricing and is calling for it to be abolished.

Investments in the future

While the situation in the industry is getting worse, comprehensive changes are also on the horizon. The oil company BP is examining the sale of Ruhr Oel GmbH, which operates the refinery in Gelsenkirchen and employs around 2,000 people. In Cologne-Godorf, however, Shell is converting its product range in order to remain competitive and contribute to decarbonization. Evonik has also cut its annual forecasts and plans to spin off 3,600 employees into a GmbH, while a further 1,400 employees are to leave the group through sales.

The chemical industry is under pressure to expand its sustainability strategies. Since 1990, the German chemical industry has increased its production by 48 percent while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by over 60 percent. But the challenges are immense. From 2024, large chemical companies will have to report comprehensively on their sustainability metrics in accordance with the new “Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive” (CSRD). The industry is therefore forced to develop new technologies and reduce its resource and energy consumption.

The path to “green chemistry”

With a focus on ecological, social and economic sustainability, “green chemistry” is promoted to establish more sustainable practice. Forecasts show that the market size for green chemicals could grow to almost $312 billion by 2034. These developments are necessary because the high energy requirements, especially in ammonia synthesis, lead to the largest CO₂ emissions in chemical production. The Statista highlights that heavy metals and other chemicals also have negative effects on the environment and health, which puts pressure on the industry to act responsibly.

The future of the chemical industry in North Rhine-Westphalia remains uncertain, but the signs point to change. Efforts to find sustainable solutions are in full swing, but time will tell whether these can withstand the pressure of international competition.