Lion Elastomers hit by big freeze in US Gulf

Port Neches, Texas – Lion Elastomers synthetic rubber production operations were among the many petrochemicals facilities hit by the severe weather in the US Gulf region last week.  

On 15 Feb, freezing temperatures overwhelmed the regional power-supply and other infrastructure disrupting industrial activity across the region. 

According to Lion Elastomers, the situation impacted the company’s ability to maintain operations at its Port Neches, Texas and Orange, Texas facilities. 

This, it noted, was despite the company enacting severe weather and freeze precaution procedures ahead of this storm. 

“Facilities remain down at this time,” the US producer of EPDM and styrene butadiene rubber said in a statement issued 17 Feb. 

At that stage, Lion Elastomers was assessing the impact of raw materials and utilities curtailments, along with any damage incurred, due to the extended freezing temperatures. 

The main challenge, it said, was a Texas state curtailment which “was not allowing enough natural gas to either facility for even basic preparations for restart.” 

The synthetic rubber supplier was also assessing the impact on current and future orders as of the end-of-week. 

“This is a very fluid situation in the region,” concluded Lion Elastomers, which was in contact with local municipalities and utilities providers towards ensuring a timely restart of its facilities.