Kiviõli Keemiatööstus struggling, but not to lay off workers yet
The low oil price on the global market affects several large employers in Estonia. Viru Keemia Grupp recently announced layoffs, and Eesti Energia and Kiviõli Keemiatööstus are suffering as well. The latter, owned by oil company Alexela, is not currently considering letting people go, spokesman Marti Hääl said.
“From a capitalist point of view, closing the Kiviõli plant would be the most sensible thing to do,” weekly Eesti Ekspress quoted Hääl saying. “But the socioeconomic environment makes this impossible. Our plant provides heat for 90% of the town, and a large part of the population works there as well.”
According to Hääl, efforts are made to make production more efficient.
The chemicals producer Kiviõli Keemiatööstus employs 650 people. Its communications director Norbert Kaareste told Eesti Ekspress that the production process was being reassessed constantly, and that despite no larger layoffs were planned, some jobs might disappear.
Editor: Editor: Dario Cavegn