Monsanto to Close 2 Southland Facilities, Eliminate 2,500 Jobs

Monsanto Co., the nation’s No. 3 chemical company, said Friday that it will eliminate 2,500 jobs and take a $325-million restructuring charge to consolidate operations and boost earnings.

The job cuts represent about 6% of Monsanto’s global work force, which had 41,000 employees at the end of last year.

The restructuring mainly involves the consolidation of the company’s chemical operations, including the closing of plants in Carson and Long Beach, and in Everett, Mass.

Monsanto makes herbicides, detergents, phosphates, fibers, plastics and food ingredients, among other products.

Brand names include Nutrasweet, the herbicides Lasso and Roundup, as well as Simplesse, a low-calorie fat substitute.

The decision to restructure was triggered by the company’s belief that certain chemical businesses do not fit with its earnings-growth targets, company spokeswoman Scarlett Foster said.

“There are certain businesses that we’re in right now that we don’t feel will fit in with strategic long-term plans,” she said. “We think we’ll end up with a stronger portfolio of high value-added businesses.”

The second-quarter charge reflects the impact of Monsanto’s previously announced restructuring of its agricultural unit. It includes a gain from the recently completed sale of its animal feed ingredients business.