Chemical giant Dow announces 605 job cuts in Dutch operations

Chemical manufacturer Dow will eliminate 605 positions in the Netherlands as part of a worldwide reorganisation. The company has already notified employees and workers’ representatives about the planned job cuts.

The restructuring will have a significant impact in the Netherlands, where Dow employs around 2,800 people. The U.S.-based chemicals group’s Dutch operations include a major industrial site in Terneuzen that produces plastics and other basic chemical feedstocks.

It is still unclear whether there will also be compulsory redundancies. Dow will first go through a consultation process with the works council of its Dutch division. According to the company, this will be done “with the clear aim of limiting the impact as much as possible and finding socially responsible solutions.”

In January, Dow revealed plans to eliminate 4,500 positions globally from its workforce of around 35,000 employees. The company says the restructuring is aimed at boosting profitability through cost reductions, a leaner management structure, greater automation, and more efficient manufacturing processes.

According to the company, the planned job cuts in the Netherlands form part of Dow’s new efficiency initiative, Transform to Outperform, which is designed to streamline operations and improve performance.

Dow unveiled the reorganisation following a significant decline in revenue. The company recorded a net loss of 1.5 billion dollars in the final quarter of 2025, resulting in a total net loss of more than 2.4 billion dollars for the year as a whole.

Alongside streamlining its management structure, Dow is increasingly focusing on automation and the use of artificial intelligence across its business, according to Houston Public Media. The company says this shift is a key factor behind the planned reduction of many administrative and operational support positions.