ISP, Firestone, Lanxess declare force majeure in Gulf Coast

Houston, Texas -- Three rubber-related firms with facilities in the Texas Gulf Coast have declared force majeure in the wake of Hurricane Ike, telling customers they will suspend product shipments from the region until further notice.

International Specialty Products declared force majeure with respect to production at its ISP Elastomers plant in Port Neches, Texas. “We are still assessing damage to the plant, and it is too early to be able to predict when we will be able to start production,” said Tim Gorman, ISP vice president-elastomers, in a prepared statement.

Lanxess Corp. has declared force majeure to its maleic anhydride customers, all of whom are supplied from the company's Baytown, Texas, plant. The declaration covers all scheduled shipments over the next several days and will be re-evaluated in coming weeks, Lanxess said.

Firestone Polymer LLC's rubber production facility at Lake Charles, Louisiana, suffered little damage in the storm, but its Orange, Texas, plant was flooded and has no electrical power, mandating force majeure for shipments from that plant, the company said.

Among other companies with plants in the Texas Gulf Coast, Goodyear said it was assessing the situation at its chemical plants in Houston, Beaumont and Bayport, Texas, but stopped short of declaring force majeure. “As a result of our business continuity actions, we do not anticipate any immediate impact on tyre production,” the tyre maker said.

From Rubber & Plastics News (A Crain publication)