Leading thermoset resin manufacturer Hexion Specialty Chemicals (Columbus, Ohio / USA; www.hexionchem.com) is transferring production of powder phenolic resins from Barry, South Wales / UK to plants in Germany and Italy, where it has a total of 12 production facilities. The transfer is part of a restructuring of the company´s European activities. The Barry plant will continue to produce liquid phenolics, but up to 50 jobs out of more than 150 are expected to be lost. The number will be quantified in the second half of 2006. Private equity-owned Hexion, with sales of more than USD 4bn and some 7,000 employees was formed by a merger of Borden Chemical, Bakelite, Resolution Performance Products and Resolution Specialty Materials.