Cabot reports Japanese plants minimally damaged

Cabot Corp. said in a press release that its facilities in Japan have sustained “only minimal physical damage” as a result of last week’s earthquake and tsunami, though external disruptions could pose a problem for the company’s operations in the country. Cabot operates three factories in Japan: two carbon black plants in Chiba and Shimonoseki and a tantalum powder plant in Aizu. Business offices are located in Tokyo and Osaka.

The company’s facility in Shimonoseki continued production, while its plants in Aizu and Chiba lost power and operations were temporarily suspended during the quake. Both facilities are able to manufacture, however supply chain and infrastructure disruptions over the coming weeks are likely to impact their ability to operate in the near term.