Swiss agricultural chemicals company Syngenta plans to cut around 150 jobs at its Basel headquarters by the end of the year. More than 10% of the site’s employees are affected.
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The job cuts, announced to staff last week, are “due to a hardened and persistently difficult economic environment”, a Syngenta spokesman told the Keystone-ATS news agency on Wednesday, confirming information revealed earlier by the Tamedia newspaper group.
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The relevant authorities have been informed, it said. “We are working closely with the staff associations to ensure that all the rules of consultation are respected and that those affected receive the appropriate support,” the spokesman stressed. He added that the company’s global headquarters would remain in Basel.
The spokesman declined to say whether any further job cuts would be made next year.
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“At the presentation of the first-half results on August 29, we made it clear that Syngenta would continue to take measures throughout the Group to improve operational efficiency, productivity and cash flow,” he said.
Syngenta will continue to invest annually in Switzerland, according to a spokesperson. A large part of this investment will go towards its Monthey production site in canton Valais.
Adapted from French by DeepL/sb
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