Westlake to close Germany PVC plant in 2027
- Westlake plans to close its Cologne, Germany PVC plant in the first quarter of 2027.
- The closure is expected to result in approximately $205 million in pre-tax charges.
- Westlake expects lower third-quarter 2026 performance due to weaker PVC and polyethylene pricing, freight costs, and lower sales volume.
Westlake (NYSE:WLK) announced plans to close its PVC manufacturing facility in Cologne, Germany, during the first quarter of 2027 as part of efforts to improve profitability in its European chlorovinyl operations.
The Cologne facility has annual PVC production capacity of approximately 165,000 metric tons.
Westlake expects total pre-tax closure charges of approximately $205 million, including about $100 million in cash charges and $105 million in non-cash charges.
Westlake expects approximately $110 million of the closure-related charges to be recorded in 2026, with the remaining costs expected in 2027.
The company said it will continue supplying customers from other German facilities following the closure.
Westlake also said North American PVC and polyethylene average prices were lower in the third quarter of 2026 compared with the second quarter.
The company reported that higher freight costs and lower sales volumes affected its Housing & Infrastructure Products segment.
Westlake expects third-quarter 2026 financial performance to be lower than the second quarter due to these market conditions.
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