Bayer calls force majeure on North American polycarbonates

09 February 2011 17:56  [Source: ICIS news]

HOUSTON (ICIS)--Bayer MaterialScience has declared force majeure (FM) on polycarbonates (PC) and bisphenol A (BPA) for North America effective 2 February, the company confirmed on Wednesday.

The FM is a result of difficulties from severe winter weather at Bayer’s 260,000 tonne/year PC plant in Baytown, Texas, as well as problems obtaining feedstock materials phenol and BPA.

Supply of cumene, the feedstock for phenol, has become extremely tight because of turnarounds from major producers CITGO, Flint Hills Resources and Georgia Gulf.

The resulting tightness hit the phenol market, where several producers said they were unable to run their plants full out.

Bayer did not give an estimate for when it will lift the FM.

US spot PC prices on Wednesday were assessed by ICIS at 156-175 cents/lb (€2,510-2,816/tonne) FOB (free on board) for moulding- or extrusion-grade material.

($1 = €0.73)

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By: John Dietrich
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