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SABIC will no longer have a presence in Pittsfield after 2017.

SABIC Leaving Pittsfield by 2017; Closing Polymer Development Center

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — SABIC on Wednesday confirmed that it will no longer have a presence in Pittsfield after 2017.

Saudi Arabia Basic Industries Corp. says it will combine its technology and innovation operations in its Selkirk, N.Y., location — closing its Pittsfield Polymer Processing Development Center and another site in Exton, Pa.

City officials have been waiting for the other shoe to drop since SABIC announced in October it would relocate its headquarters in the former GE site to Houston, taking some 300 jobs along with it, by next year.

SABIC says the consolidation is being done to improve collaboration and research.

"This integration will not only drive important efficiencies, it will also merge material science, process engineering and application development into a collaborative environment that will lead to new innovation breakthroughs," said Awadh Al-Maker, executive vice president of SABIC Technology & Innovation, in a statement.



The relocation from Pittsfield will take place as soon as the necessary modifications to Selkirk facilities are completed, which is estimated in 2017, according a statement released by the company.

It was not immediately clear how many employees may be affected by the relocation.

Spokeswoman Jodi Kennedy, in response to questions, said SABIC does not share how many people are employed at its facilities and did not say how many jobs will be affected. The transition, she confirmed, will happen "sometime in 2017" but did not comment on whether any jobs would be affected prior to that.

"We're hoping that many of our employees from the PPDC will commute to Selkirk," she wrote.

The state's Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development activated its "Rapid Response Team" in October to aid workers after the announcement of the headquarter's closing. SABIC indicated those employees could have jobs in Houston, although it was not known how many workers that affected or how many would leave with the company.

SABIC purchased the assets of GE Plastics in 2007 for more than $11 billion.


Tags: closure,   industry & manufacturing,   plastics,   relocation,   

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Lanesborough Select Board Votes to Expand Tow List

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Select Board members want to even the playing field for towing.

In a 2-1 vote with Chair Michael Murphy in opposition, the board last week voted to allow businesses outside of Lanesborough to be on the towing list. Current towers will work with the town on a formal policy, as there is currently not one.

"Frankly, I think it's premature," Murphy said about the motion made by Select Board member Deborah Maynard.

Two years ago, Police Chief Robert Derksen was contacted by a local tow agency that wanted to be put on the rotation. He brought a sample policy to the board in March 2023 and returned with the same one at Monday's meeting.

"I think the kind of consensus at that time with the Select Board at that time was that we would limit it to businesses in the town of Lanesborough for tow agencies," he said.

"However, it was also mentioned that we really should have a written — it's almost like a procurement policy as far as vendors. In this case, tow agencies."

Select Board member Timothy Sorrell said it was "kind of hanging in the air" and wanted to revisit it.  The job is done by two town companies: Village Truck Sales and Sayers' Auto Wrecking.

"It seems to be the tow service is the only monopoly in town," he said. "That's kind of what we question is, why is that the only one where other out-of-town services aren't allowed to do business here?"

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