Canada's Methanex cuts Chile work force

SANTIAGO, March 19 (Reuters) - Canada's Methanex Corp (MX.TO: Quote, Profile, Research), the world's largest producer of methanol, said on Wednesday it let go 15 percent of its Chilean work force after cuts in natural gas supplies from Argentina hamstrung its ability to operate.

Methanex has not received natural gas from Argentine providers since June last year, forcing it to cut operations to about 30 percent capacity in Chile.

"After nine months without gas from our providers in Argentina and after exhausting all options to reestablish it, we have been forced to reorganize our Chile operations," said Paul Schiodtz, senior vice president of Methanex for Latin America. (Reporting by Pav Jordan; Editing by Andre Grenon)