Syensqo, a specialist Belgian chemical firm which split from the multinational Solvay group at the end of last year, plans to reduce its global workforce by up to 350 jobs, including cutting 36 roles in Belgium.
The company said it is adapting its organisation to "better meet its customers' needs" and "focus its efforts on projects aimed at accelerating growth".
Synesqo plans to reduce its global workforce by some 300 to 350 jobs, "primarily in France, the United States, Belgium and Italy". In Belgium, 36 positions are affected.
"Our main objective is to position Syensqo for success. Any decision that could affect our employees is never taken lightly, and we intend to act with the utmost respect for those who may be impacted, guided by principles of dignity and empathy," said CEO Ilham Kadri in a statement.
In parallel, Syensqo, which plans to separate from Solvay’s IT systems by the end of 2025, emphasises that its efforts will lead to the creation of hundreds of new jobs in IT, system infrastructure, and business intelligence.
In Belgium, apart from its headquarters and a research and innovation centre in the Brussels-Capital Region, Syensqo has two production sites in the specialty polymers segment in Kallo (40 employees) and Oudenaarde (60 employees), in East Flanders.
The company employs over 450 people in Belgium, including around 100 researchers.
