Hundreds of staff to lose their jobs at Grangemouth refinery

Staff at the Grangemouth refinery have been sent redundancy letters as the site is set to close in central Scotland.

Last year the refinery announced the closure and transitioning into an import terminal, the bosses of Petroineos said.

According to PA news agency, as many as 500 jobs could be lost and a small number of redundancies are mandatory.

Sharon Graham, general secretary of trade union Unite said the closure of the Grangemouth Refinery is a “national disgrace” which amounts to a “needless act of industrial vandalism.”

Graham said, “There is a clear plan for the future of Grangemouth in place. Yet the UK and Scottish governments are missing in action.”

“Just last week the UK Government announced the expansion of Heathrow and said that sustainable air fuel (SAF) will be needed. Well, Grangemouth can produce SAF – where is the joined up thinking?” she added.

“This the moment for the Government to lead and stand up to Petroineos in the national interest. Petroineos must allow the transition to SAF and biofuels.

“If the company refuses, the Government should be the investor of first resort. There will be 3,500% increase in SAF demand. The market is there.

“Today’s announcement will not deter us. We will fight for the future of the refinery and the associated jobs.”

A spokesman for Petroineos said: “From Q2 this year, Grangemouth will be ready to operate as a national fuel distribution hub that ensures Scotland’s supply of finished fuels is protected.

“The process of safely transitioning the site from a refinery into an import terminal is under way and will continue over a number of months.

“Fully winding down and dismantling the refinery is anticipated to take around five years in total, so the new terminal business will operate in parallel with this process.”