Dow to close Sarnia epoxy production unit

Dow Chemical Canada Inc. will close its epoxy production facility in Sarnia, ON, effective August 1, 2004, the company announced yesterday. The facility produces solid epoxy resins and Derkane epoxy vinyl ester resin. Dow said changing global market dynamics in the epoxy market has resulted in under utilization of capacity at the Sarnia plant. Currently the plant is producing about 7.7 MM lb. of D.E.R. solid epoxy resins and about 4.4 MM lb. of Derkane resins on an annual basis. Dow said it will consolidate production and supply to North American customers from the company’s epoxy plants in Freeport, TX and Joliet, IL.
To meet growing demand in China, Dow began producing epoxy at a new 88 MM lb./yr. converted epoxy resins unit in Zhangjiagang, China in May 2003.