{
  "id": 2385513,
  "title": "Ratcliffe’s Ineos saves Runcorn salt plant",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/21/ratcliffes-ineos-saves-runcorn-salt-plant",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-21T13:12:35.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "City AM",
    "slug": "city-am",
    "url": "https://www.cityam.com/ratcliffes-ineos-saves-runcorn-salt-plant/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Ineos, the chemical empire owned by billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, has secured full control of Britain's last remaining salt plant in Runcorn, averting the danger of the UK relying on imported salt for the first time in its history. The acquisition, which is expected to finalize before the end of 2026, provides Ineos with complete ownership of the Runcorn salt plant, originally purchased by the firm in 2021. The deal's completion is contingent upon regulatory approval.\n\nThe Runcorn salt processing factory, formerly owned by Vynova Runcorn Limited, is crucial to the UK's industrial production, as it accounts for around 98% of the chlorine used to treat the nation's drinking water. Chlorine, a vital chemical, also forms the foundation for numerous materials, including plastics, construction materials, and explosives, making the Runcorn plant a cornerstone of strategic industries like water, food, and defense.\n\nIneos's acquisition is a response to escalating concerns over the UK's industrial base being weakened by persistently high energy costs and carbon taxes. The chemicals industry has been disproportionately impacted by these fiscal pressures, shrinking by 20% over the past three years. The Runcorn site's closure would have resulted in the UK having just one salt processing facility, leaving the country reliant on foreign imports for the first time since its inception.\n\nFounding figure Jim Ratcliffe has been a vocal critic of the UK and European energy policies, condemning them as \"all over the place\" because of their volatility. He has called for the abolition of the UK's net zero levies, which impose tariffs on energy bills to fund the green transition, arguing that these measures are detrimental to manufacturing. Ratcliffe fears that the financial burden of these levies will force his company to postpone crucial investments aimed at increasing efficiency and sustainability.",
  "summary": "One of Britain’s last remaining salt plants has been saved from collapse by Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos, in a move that could prevent the UK becoming reliant from imported salt for the first time in its history. Ineos Inovyn, the chlorine arm of the billionaire’s chemicals empire, said on Friday it had bought the remaining 50 [...]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}