Rubber & Plastics News (subscription required) is reporting that Hurricane Gustav has damaged Lion Copolymer’s SBR plant in Baton Rouge and its EPDM plant in Geismar. Both plants were shut down prior to the storm. The article reports that power is out in the entire industrial area of Baton Rouge. Damage assessment is currently underway at both plants, and Lion Copolymer would not speculate on a recovery plan.
From other sources, it was reported that the ExxonMobil refinery in Baton Rouge reduced production to half-capacity prior to the storm on Sunday but shut down completely on Monday afternoon due to an area-wide electrical power loss caused by high winds.
In other SR supply news, Lanxess announced a price increase for synthetic rubber effective September 1, 2008. The increase affects EPDM, NBR, HNBR, and CR. Here is the release.
Specialty chemicals company LANXESS AG is to increase its prices for synthetic rubber grades effective September 1, 2008. According to an announcement by the Technical Rubber Products business unit, the worldwide price increases per metric ton will comprise up to USD 300 for Buna EP (EPDM), up to USD 440 for Perbunan/Krynac (NBR) and up to USD 2,200 for Therban (HNBR). The price adjustment for Baypren (CR) will be set at up to USD 250 per metric ton in the regions Europe and Middle East (EMEA) and Latin America (LATAM).
Lanxess press release.