Vynova Belgium announced a phased shutdown of production at its Tessenderlo-Ham facility in Belgium, with a complete pause targeted by November 5. The company also paused integration and restart preparations at its Beek (Chemelot) site in the Netherlands.
Spokesperson Yannick Brusselmans said exceptionally high energy prices have placed unexpected and severe pressure on available financial reserves, and the company must limit cash outflow while under judicial protection.
Vynova Belgium, which employs around 600 people, must submit its restructuring and debt-realignment plan to the Hasselt enterprise court by November 13, with creditors voting on December 4. Protection from creditors runs to December 26.
The Tessenderlo site produces ethylene dichloride and vinyl chloride monomer as feedstocks for PVC, and is linked by pipeline to Beek and by rail to Mazingarbe in France, where VCM is polymerised into suspension PVC.
Industry federation Essenscia warned that the halt signals a systemic crisis for Europe's energy-intensive chemical cluster between Antwerp, Rotterdam and the Ruhr. Vynova is seeking investors for its Tessenderlo, Beek and Mazingarbe plants.
