SABIC is leaving its Pittsfield, Massachusetts site as part of a move to create a regional headquarters in Houston, Texas according to an announcement by the company Thursday. Saudi Basic Industries Corporation says work done at the Pittsfield site will be relocated to Houston meaning it will leave its Pittsfield office in 2016. Pittsfield Mayor Dan Bianchi says SABIC employs about 500 people in the city.
“We will have to wait for the details to see exactly what this will mean, how many people will be affected, what their plans are and their timing for the move,” Bianchi said after the company made its public announcement Thursday afternoon.
“Exiting the Pittsfield site was a logical yet very difficult business decision knowing the important role our business and people have played in this community over the years,” said Yousef Al-Benyan, SABIC Vice Chairman and CEO (Acting) in a statement. “As SABIC continues to expand in the Americas, we need many of the talented Pittsfield employees to be part of our strong regional team. We are committed to a smooth transition for our people and look forward to welcoming many of them to our Greater Houston area office.”
Bianchi says he did not hear anything official from SABIC before Thursday’s announcement. The company says it is also evaluating Pittsfield’s Polymer Processing Development Center and its location.
