Top Chemical Industry Posts You Missed in February 24271

While the novel coronavirus outbreak dominated headlines in February, several major chemical industry stories broke over the month, including several explosions, executive leadership changes, and the opening of a new ASU in the Gulf Coast. Powder & Bulk Solids editors selected these posts to provide our audience with an overview of some of the most interesting chemical industry-related developments that were reported in the last month.

How the Coronavirus is Impacting Chemical Companies
Supply chain interruptions. A quarantined workforce. Global travel restrictions. These are just a few of the challenges that chemical manufacturing firms operating in China have faced since the novel coronavirus outbreak began in the city of Wuhan in late December. Powder & Bulk Solids created a timeline showing how top chemical firms are responding to the virus.  

More than 100 Explosions Reported at Chemical Plant
More than 100 explosions were reported during a major fire last month at the Metropolitan Eximchem Pvt Ltd chemical plant in the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) area in Dombivli, India. Homes, schools and businesses with a 500-m area surrounding the plant were evacuated. More than 100 firefighters responded to the scene along with other emergency personnel.

New CEO Takes Helm of DuPont
American materials and ingredients firm DuPont appointed its executive chairman, Edward D. Breen, to chief executive officer last month, and named Lori D. Koch as chief financial officer to “accelerate operational improvement.” Breen will replace current CEO Marc Doyle and Koch will take over the CFO role from Jeanmarie Desmond. The changes were initiated by the DuPont board in response to a challenging operating climate.

Reaction Causes Several Explosions at Chemical Plant
Several explosions occurred at a Massachusetts chemical plant in February, forcing workers to evacuate the site and causing damage to the facility’s roof. First responders were called to the PCI Synthesis chemical processing facility after a sprinkler activated inside the site at about 4:15 a.m. After an investigation, officials said that a chemical reaction likely caused the series of explosions. 

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Eastman Chemical Names Sealed Air CEO as a Director
American specialty materials firm Eastman Chemical Company named Sealed Air Corporation president and chief executive officer Edward L. Doheny II as a director on its board. Doheny joined Sealed Air in 2017 after serving as CEO, president, and a director at Joy Global Inc. During his tenure at Joy, Doheny also occupied the role of president and chief operating officer of its Underground Mining Machinery business from 2006 to 2013. 

Linde Begins Operations at New ASU in US Gulf Coast
Industrial gases and engineering firm Linde announced it completed the startup of its new air separation unit (ASU) in Freeport, TX last month. The facility will provide oxygen and nitrogen to MEGlobal’s ethylene glycol (EG) production facility in Oyster Creek, TX.

2-Alarm Fire Reported at Chemical Plant in Pennsylvania
A malfunction in a sulfur scrubber was eyed as the cause of a two-alarm fire that broke out in February at the Atlas Minerals and Chemicals plant in Longswamp Township, PA. Atlas President Frank Hanson told WFMZ that an electrical issue may have caused the sulfur scrubber to catch on fire. 

US Chemical Production Edges Higher to Start the Year
According to the American Chemistry Council (ACC), the U.S. Chemical Production Regional Index (U.S. CPRI) edged higher by 0.1% in January following a 0.1% decline in December and a 0.2% decline in November. During January, chemical output declined across all regions except the Gulf Coast.

Air Products Starts Work on New Industrial Gas Hub
Industrial gases firm Air Products held an event to mark the beginning of construction on a new Air Products Qudra industrial gases hub “megaproject” in the Jubail Industrial City in Jubail, Saudi Arabia. The firm is making a “significant investment” to construct and operate a new steam methane reformer (SMR) for the production of hydrogen, an air separation unit (ASU) for nitrogen and oxygen, and hydrogen pressure swing adsorption (PSA) units that will reclaim hydrogen from off gases. 

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