All jobs lost at Silberline factory in Leven as closure confirmed for next year

All jobs have been lost at a factory in Fife after it was confirmed the site will close next year.

Around 100 employees at the the Silberline factory in Leven – which produces industrial pigments and coatings often used in cars – are to be made redundant.

It had been run by American owners since 1974, but in January the firm was acquired by German business Eckart.

Silberline said in April plans to shut the factory down were being considered.

On Thursday, the company confirmed the site will close at the end of next year, and operations will continue “as scheduled” until then.

Alan Snaddon, operations director at Silberline said: “Following an in-depth review of our operations in Leven and considering various possibilities we came to the decision to close the Leven plant.

“As we have explained from the start, this proposal and the decision about closing the Leven site has not been formulated lightly and is a result of the difficult situation we find ourselves in, caused by multiple factors, including the global trend of regionalisation of the business.

“We anticipate that the Leven site will be closing at the end of 2025.

“Operations will continue as scheduled until then.

“In the past few months, we have been consulting with our affected employees and their representatives.

“This consultation process has been completed. As a result, all employees have agreed to enter a termination agreement.

“We are doing everything we can to support our employees, i.e., we have already and will continue to work with government agencies such as PACE to ensure we do all we can to secure future employment for all involved.”