The decision is mooted to cost between $16-21 million and is expected to be completed by July 2014 in order to consolidate production into existing IFF Ingredients facilities.
IFF says the closing of the Augusta plant will improve efficiencies within the Ingredients manufacturing network, thereby supporting the company's objective to ensure operations are cost-efficient and competitive.
Strategy
"Providing innovative and cost-effective ingredients for use in our Fragrance Compounds business is our number one priority and is critical to our ability to create winning solutions for our customers," said Nicolas Mirzayantz, Fragrances Group president.
The Fragrance Ingredients business supplies IFF’s Fine Fragrance and Beauty Care and Functional Fragrances categories with differentiated ingredients that provide the company with a strategic and competitive advantage.
"With a changing competitive environment, we have decided to streamline those parts of our business that support lower value-added, commodity-like ingredients and remain focused on those areas that are more value-enhancing,” continued Mirzayantz.
“Based on our on-going business review, this is one of several actions we are taking to improve the competitiveness of our Fragrance Ingredients business, and to position our overall Fragrances business for long-term profitable growth."
Market
Rob Edelman, senior vice president Fragrance Ingredients added, "While market forces clearly dictate the optimization of Ingredients' production, we do not make decisions such as this lightly.”
“We value our employees and will do everything possible to treat them with fairness and sensitivity. Moving production to existing Ingredients plants creates synergies for IFF that will improve customer service levels while we continue to invest for the future."