Silberline: 100 jobs lost as long-established Fife factory set to close

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A long-established business in Leven is to close with the loss of around 100 jobs – just months after it was taken over by new German owners.

Silberline will shut down at the end of next year, marking the end of five decades in town. The factory - which produces industrial pigments and coatings often used in cars as well as printing ink and plastics - has operated out of the town’s Banbeath Industrial Estate for 50 years.

It had been run by its American owners since 1974, but, earlier this year it was bought by German company Eckart. Fears for its future grew in April when it started consultations with staff as part of a review of its operations. It came about as a result of “multiple factors, including the global trend of regionalisation in our business.”

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The decision to close the Fife factory was announced on Thursday. The doors will close at the end of 2025 - until then it will operate “as scheduled.” The company has a global workforce of around 450.

Silberline's factory in Fife will close in 2025 (Pic: Fife Free Press)Silberline's factory in Fife will close in 2025 (Pic: Fife Free Press)
Silberline's factory in Fife will close in 2025 (Pic: Fife Free Press)

Alan Snaddon, operations director at Silberline said: “Following an in-depth review of our operations in Leven and considering various possibilities we came to the decision to close the Leven plant.

“As we have explained from the start, this proposal and the decision about closing the Leven site has not been formulated lightly and is a result of the difficult situation we find ourselves in, caused by multiple factors, including the global trend of regionalisation of the business. We anticipate that the Leven site will be closing at the end of 2025. Operations will continue as scheduled until then.” He added: ““In the past few months, we have been consulting with our affected employees and their representatives.This consultation process has been completed. As a result, all employees have agreed to enter a termination agreement. We are doing everything we can to support our employees. We have already and will continue to work with government agencies such as PACE to ensure we do all we can to secure future employment for all involved.”

In April, Jenny Gilruth MSP for Levenmouth said any closure would “devastating for the local community” adding: “These skilled jobs are absolutely vital to my constituency.”

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