A CHEMICAL company will close today with the loss of all 40 jobs.

Clariant Uk Ltd of Nook Lane, Oswaldtwistle, blames tough market conditions and global competition for the closure, with production at the plant transferring to a site in South Wales.

A spokesperson for Clariant said: "The Oswaldtwistle plant is one of our smaller sites and its production will be transferred to one of our bigger ones. Jobs will be lost from all levels although we are trying to arrange transfers.

"We employ 23,000 people worldwide and the staff are always our absolute priroty. Staff at Oswaldtwistle were told about the future of the plant last August and we have kept them informed."

The firm was formerly known as Cocker Chemicals before its takeover by Clariant.

A liaison group set up with nearby residents in case of chemical leaks has been disbanded.