Chemours and hundreds of jobs to stay in Delaware

DuPont spinoff, Chemours, will keep its global corporate headquarters in Delaware.

Officials with the chemicals business announced it plans to make the city of Wilmington its permanent home, Tuesday morning. The decision means about 900 jobs will stay in the state.

“I welcome Chemours’ announcement that the company is committed to remaining in Delaware,” Democratic Senator Chris Coons said. “Chemours and its hundreds of Delaware employees are a critical part of the innovation economy in our state.”

“This was the best decision for Chemours, for Wilmington, and for the hundreds of Delawareans who go to work there every day,” said Congressman John Carney, D-Delaware.

Chemours’ offices are currently in the DuPont Building on Rodney Square. The company spun off from DuPont last summer. 

CEO Mark Vergnano confirmed Chemours was considering leaving Delaware and had scouted multiple locations in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

“I know that Chemours leaders conducted a detailed search and looked at several locations, and I am pleased that they have chosen Wilmington as the best option to support the success of their company,” said Gov. Jack Markell, D-Delaware. “This decision reflects the value of our top quality workforce, the ability to access key global markets from our state, and the responsiveness of government at all levels – all of which helps make Delaware a great place for employers to achieve long term growth.”

Wilmington Mayor Dennis Williams said he was “honored,” by the company’s decision to stay put. 

“As Chemours underwent the selection process, they evaluated cities on a variety of measures including: accessibility to a strong pool of talent for future hiring, quality of life, and the opportunity for sustainable financial growth and success. I believe our city provides a unique combination of a talented workforce, accessible location, and attractive amenities, which is why Chemours chose Wilmington as its home,” said Williams, who vowed continued support from the city towards Chemours’ corporate objectives.

Chemours officials cited the quality performance of its current employees, the ability to recruit in Delaware and the reformation of the state’s corporate income tax formula to match surrounding states as key factors behind today’s decision.

“Delaware may be small, but we show our strength by mobilizing quickly to create a nurturing environment for businesses to come and stay here,” said U.S. Senator Tom Carper, D-Delaware. “The state passed landmark legislation to modernize our tax structure, and in Congress, we worked to reform the Toxic Substances Control Act, giving businesses like Chemours the predictability they need.”