Dow Chemical confirms closure of its VCM unit in Louisiana

28 July 2011 22:20  [Source: ICIS news]

HOUSTON (ICIS)--Dow Chemical confirmed on Thursday that it closed its vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) unit in Louisiana earlier this month as previously announced.

The VCM unit in Plaquemine, Louisiana, was shut in early July, said spokeswoman Amy Ahlich.

The unit had a capacity of 680,000 tonnes/year, according to ICIS plants and projects.

Dow announced the closure of its VCM operations in 2009.

Last February, Dow closed its Oyster Creek VCM plant just outside of Freeport, Texas.

The Plaquemine closure was not expected to change Dow Chemical’s merchant sales position on feedstock ethylene dichloride (EDC), she said.

Both EDC and VCM are feedstocks for polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a widely used plastic in pipes and building materials.

US EDC spot prices are at $400–440/tonne (€280–308/tonne) FOB (free on board) US Gulf, as assessed by ICIS.

($1 = €0.70)

For more on Dow Chemical’s plants visit ICIS plants and projects
For more on EDC, VCM and PVC visit ICIS chemical intelligence

By: Ruth Liao
+1 713 525 2637

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