Lemvig politician urges state role in Cheminova site’s future

Lemvig Deputy Mayor Lone Pilgaard has called for the Danish state to help determine the future of the Cheminova site after FMC Rønland ends production, DR reports.

Pilgaard, a Social Democrat, proposed placing a weapons factory on Harboøre Tange when FMC closes its production there at the end of 2027.

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen immediately backed the idea, calling it “insanely good” and referring it to Defence Minister Jeppe Bruus.

Pilgaard now hopes the state will support some form of weapons production at Rønland. She said the state had authorised the chemical factory at the site and had shared responsibility for the generational pollution there.

“Our best opportunity to protect the environment and secure progress for business is for the state to be involved in this,” Pilgaard said.

Part of the government’s strategy

Pilgaard said a rapid recovery for the local community after 400 FMC employees lose their jobs would require the site to be used for state weapons or chemical ammunition production. Lemvig’s municipal council supports the proposal.

“We have a huge responsibility towards all the employees who will soon be without work,” she said. She added that Ukraine had repeatedly shown interest in opening production facilities in Denmark, and that the proposal fit the government’s strategy of strengthening Danish defence capacity and creating production in Denmark.

However, DR defence correspondent Mads Korsager said he found it difficult to imagine the state launching weapons production at the site.

“If we are talking about 100 per cent state-owned Danish production, made in Denmark by ourselves, I find it difficult to see that happening at present,” Korsager said.

He pointed to the state’s planned ammunition factory, known as Krudten, in Elling in North Jutland. The facility is intended to produce propellant and bullets in cooperation with a Norwegian company.

“The state has put all its eggs in the Krudten basket in North Jutland. That is where it has decided there should be semi-state production of propellant and bullets together with a Norwegian company,” Korsager said. “So I find it difficult to see the state opening more production facilities.”

That does not mean the Cheminova site is uninteresting, he said. Its distance from the nearest neighbour could attract Ukrainian weapons producers, he added.

Korsager said interest from Ukraine in opening production facilities in Denmark had been seen several times, but that such plans had also created insecurity and local opposition. The Rønland site, he said, was a Danish property with a long distance to the nearest neighbour.

DR contacted Defence Minister Jeppe Bruus for his response to Pilgaard’s proposal, but he had not replied.