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September 2010
President’s Message: Industry must be Prepared for the Best and Worst of Times
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TCC President & CEO
Hector L. Rivero |
The
chemical industry strives to operate its facilities safely and without
incident. However, all companies must prepare to handle
unexpected site emergencies that may threaten the health and safety of
its employees, the surrounding community, and the
environment. One of the most important roles that industry
must prepare for is emergency response and managements.
TCC
member companies have developed comprehensive industrial programs to
handle major emergencies such as fires, chemical and oil spills, gas
leaks, and explosions, as well as natural disasters like hurricanes and
tornadoes.
Protecting
the community and their employees is the top priority for TCC member
companies. While companies work hard to prevent emissions events,
natural disasters and other site emergencies, it is important for
companies to plan for these risks. The actions that are taken
during and after an event are the most important aspects of emergency
response. TCC encourages members to share lessons learned and best
practices that may help member companies reduce risk and be better
prepared for a site emergency.
Industry
must be prepared to provide timely communication to emergency
responders and the public in the event of an emergency. Maintaining the
trust of the communities where we operate is essential to sustaining
our public consent to operate. How a site handles it public
communication and response during a site emergency can greatly impact
the community’s trust for that site and for other industrial
sites in the region.
TCC
provides its members with many avenues to share best practices in
occupational safety, industrial health, and emergency
management. In September, TCC’s Occupational Safety
Committee will host a panel of representatives from East Harris County
Manufacturers Association (EHCMA), Brazoria County Petrochemical
Council (BCPC), Southeast Texas Plant Managers Forum, and the Port
Industries of Corpus Christi (PICC). The panel will outline
how each regional industry network is working to share best practices
in emergency response and management.
TCC
has also entered into an Alliance with the Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA). The purpose of this Alliance is
to establish a collaborative relationship to cultivate healthy and safe
workplaces. Through this Alliance, TCC is able to provide its
members with information, guidance and access to training resources
that will assist them to protect employee health and safety,
particularly in reducing and preventing hazards related to Process
Safety Management.
Each
year, TCC and ACIT host an Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS)
Seminar in Galveston, Texas providing accredited educational
opportunities for member company employees and industry
contractors. The EHS Seminar is one of the premiere industry
safety seminars in the U.S. and features leading safety instructors,
speakers, and suppliers of safety equipment, technology, and services.
TCC
is committed to nurturing our industries strong safety culture and will
continue to seek out opportunities to help its members to prepare for
the best and worst of times.
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TCC Hosts Science Teachers and Industry Program
Texas
Chemical Council has resumed its Science Teachers and Industry (STI)
program as a workshop in partnership with the Harris County Department
of Education (HCDE) aimed at raising awareness among science teachers
about the importance of the chemical industry. This
year’s STI workshop was held at the HCDE Conference Center on
August 3rd through 5th, and included 35 teachers from 17 different
school districts in Houston and surrounding areas, making it one of our
most successful programs in the 20+-year history of the program.
Over
the course of the three-day session, the teachers were able to interact
with industry representatives from nine different companies, including
field trips to Bayer MaterialScience and Chevron Phillips Chemical
Company.
During
the workshop, teachers learned about the chemical industry’s
emphasis on safety and environmental stewardship. Teachers
enjoyed the opportunity to ask questions to industry representatives
and obtained a better understanding for our industry’s
emphasis on protecting employees, the community and the
environment. Those attending also learned about the important
role that industry plays in the state’s economy and in their
local communities, as well as the challenges facing our industry.
TCC wishes to recognize the STI Sponsors who helped make this year’s workshop a success:
Albemarle Corporation
Celanese Chemicals – Clear Lake Plant
GB Biosciences Corporation
INEOS NOVA LLC
LyondellBasell Industries
Noltex, LLC
Solvay Chemicals, Inc.
Texas Brine Company Baytown, LLC
TPC Group
The Dow Chemical Company
The Lubrizol Corporation
INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA
BASF Corporation
Bayer MaterialScience, LLC
BP
The
STI program could not be possible without the leadership and support of
the TCC Outreach Committee. Chairman John Harvey (INEOS) and
Vice Chair Michelle Holyfield (Eastman) led the charge to develop the
program, secure member company sponsors, and coordinate the 3-day
workshop with HCDE. John Koegel (Dow) and Lisa Felske (HCDE)
facilitated the program. Thanks to the Committee’s leadership
and the support of our sponsors, we are well on our way to another
successful program in 2011. |
EPA Rejects Texas Approach to New Source Review
Federal
environmental regulators took aim at Texas’ rules for air
pollution for the third time in five months, saying some aspects
violate the Clean Air Act.
The
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rejected pieces of the
state’s New Source Review (NSR) program, which dictates when
industrial plants must implement additional pollution controls. Under
federal guidelines, expanding industrial plants calculate their
emissions to determine whether they need new pollution controls.
The
Texas rules, however, allow new plants to use estimates to set
emissions limits. If the caps are set too high, that will make it
easier for plants to expand later, said Al Armendariz, regional
administrator for the EPA. “We have confidence in real data,
instead of the way the state of Texas does it, which is not based on
actual emissions,” he said.
Armendariz
said the Texas program also falls short of federal standards for
monitoring emissions. The ruling, however, will not require companies
to seek new permits or shut down, though they might see additional
restrictions on emissions, he said.
The
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, which issues permits on the
EPA’s behalf, defended its program, saying it meets the
federal requirements. The commission also said in a statement that the
state's air quality improved under the rejected program.
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Texas Sues EPA over Flexible Permits Program
The
State of Texas filed suit against the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency for the second time in six weeks over rules for air pollution.
State
Attorney General Greg Abbott said the suit he filed with the U.S. 5th
Court of Appeals in New Orleans seeks to block the EPA from
disapproving Texas’ flexible permits as they pertain to
refiners and other large industries.
The 16-year-old permitting program covers 122 refiners, plastics makers and chemical plants.
Gov.
Rick Perry and state regulators, in expressing approval of the lawsuit,
said the flexible permitting program cuts red tape and air pollution
without violating federal law.
Perry
said jobs and air quality gains would be lost if the EPA’s
decision is permitted to stand. “The EPA’s
overreach is as potentially devastating as it is
unnecessary,” said Perry.
“Our
empirical evidence has shown that you can have environmental protection
and economic growth,” said Al Armendariz, the EPA’s
regional administrator in Dallas.
The
EPA has offered to work with businesses to bring their permits into
compliance, and so far, six firms have accepted, according to
Armendariz.
In
a suit filed in June, Texas asked the federal appeals court to prevent
the EPA from taking action against another part of the state's
permitting system – the Qualified Facilities Program
–complaining about regulatory authority and potential loss of
jobs.
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EPA’s Armendariz Speaks to TCC Air Conservation Committee
Dr.
Al Armendariz, Region 6 Administrator for the Environmental Protection
Agency, addressed the TCC Air Conservation Committee on August 26th. 
In
the presentation, Armendariz gave an overview of EPA goals,
EPA’s views on climate change, and a review of the current
issues that Texas and EPA are involved in, specifically regarding the
flexible permitting program.
Armendariz
said his main objective was to get all flexible permit holders a
regular PSD permit with unit specific emission limits and verified
monitoring, recordkeeping and reporting. He cited several
options for meeting that objective, including: 1) working through a
federal audit program; 2) conducting streamlined discussions directly
with EPA; 3) working through a possible TCEQ process; or 4) a
last-resort effort by EPA to force compliance through CAA violations
and enforcement.
For a copy of his presentation, click here EPA Presentation |
EPA Actions on Emission Regulations Sparks Texas’ Response
U.S.
EPA is planning to take over permitting programs for states that
can’t or won’t comply with the Obama
administration’s greenhouse gas rules by next year, and that
isn’t sitting well with state lawmakers and regulators in
Texas.
Officials
in Texas are staunchly opposing EPA’s plans to force states
into compliance with controversial climate regulations, while other
states fear the agency is rushing forward without giving states enough
guidance as they prepare to begin regulating greenhouse gases for the
first time.
“I
don't see that there’s any value in pursuing what is sort of
a farce that is going to have only cost and no environmental
benefits,” said Bryan Shaw, chairman of the Texas Commission
on Environmental Quality. “They’re not following
the law and the procedures as we read it.”
EPA
recently issued a draft rule to allow the agency to issue greenhouse
gas permits for industrial facilities in states that are not prepared
to begin regulating those emissions in January, when federal climate
rules officially kick in. The agency said 13 states will need to revise
their permitting programs to cover greenhouse gases or they could face
a federal takeover. The states are Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas,
California, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Nebraska,
Nevada, Oregon and Texas.
“EPA
has taken steps to ensure that the transition will be smooth and the
largest emitting facilities will be able to get permits, regardless of
their location,” spokesman Brendan Gilfillan said.
“We will continue to work with states, the largest emitters
and other groups to ensure they have the information they
need.”
Some
states are hustling to revise their laws and regulations in time, but
others are pressing EPA to reconsider its plans to implement the
“tailoring rule” for greenhouse gases, which would
require emission permits for large emitters of greenhouse gases while
exempting smaller facilities.
This
tailoring rule would exempt certain buildings, including schools and
hospitals, from the new emission levels. The EPA says it gets these
powers from the Clean Air Act, and argues that since the agency has
decided to go forth with vehicle tailpipe emission limits, then it has
the lawful authority to do the same for other sources of pollutants.
Texas
officials emerged as the most vocal state critics of EPA’s
plans to enforce their climate rules after Shaw and Texas Attorney
General Greg Abbott blasted the agency earlier this month for
unlawfully attempting to force states to “pledge allegiance
to its rules.”
Texas
is suing the EPA over this rule, calling it “arbitrary and
capricious,” and arguing the agency has no authority to
impose these limits.
In
an Aug. 2 letter sent to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson and
EPA’s Dallas-based Region 6 Administrator Al Armendariz, Shaw
and Abbott said that Texas “has neither the authority nor the
intention of interpreting, ignoring, or amending its laws in order to
compel the permitting of greenhouse gas emissions.”
Armendariz
refuted Texas’ claims, saying in a statement that the
agency’s “measured steps are in response to a
Supreme Court decision issued more than three years ago” and
that the agency is “not at liberty to ignore the
law.”
EPA claims it would prefer to leave permitting to the states and says federal intervention will serve only as a stopgap.
“States
are best-suited to issue permits to sources of GHG emissions and have
long-standing experience working together with industrial
facilities,” the agency said. “EPA will work
closely and promptly with states to help them develop, submit, and
approve necessary revisions to enable the affected states to issue air
permits to GHG-emitting sources. Additionally, EPA will continue to
provide guidance and act as a resource for the states as they make the
various required permitting decisions for GHG emissions.”
Starting
in January, EPA will require regulated sources to install the
“best available control technology” to curb their
emissions, but states are still waiting to see guidance from the agency
about what that will be for various sectors. |
EPA Rejects Scientific Evidence Challenging their Climate Change Policy
The
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has rejected several challenges to
its findings that climate change fueled by greenhouse gas emissions
threatens the environment and public health.
The
EPA said in a statement it rejected challenges made to existing
climate-change science and the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, and the U.S.
Global Change Research Program. The issue revolves around the
EPA’s so-called endangerment finding made last year, a
prerequisite for regulating heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions
linked to climate change as pollutants.
“These
petitions – based as they are on selectively edited,
out-of-context data and a manufactured controversy – provide
no evidence to undermine our determination. Excess greenhouse gases are
a threat to our health and welfare,” said EPA Administrator
Lisa Jackson in statement.
Challenges
made to the EPA findings ranged from alleged flaws in the science and
data to problems with the EPA’s process and assessment of
potential impacts from the decision. Those who challenged the
agency’s decision included the State of Texas and interest
groups such as the Competitive Enterprise Institute, U.S. Chamber of
Commerce and Ohio Coal Association.
Texas
Governor Rick Perry said, “I’m disappointed, but
hardly surprised, given this administration’s ongoing
disregard for Texas air quality successes and Texas jobs. The State of
Texas will continue to fight this federal overreach by unelected
bureaucrats through appropriate legal action, which I hope will allow
us to continue our effective environmental programs while protecting
countless Texas jobs.” In
February the state filed a Petition for Review of the endangerment
decision with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit that is
still pending. In
February the state filed a Petition for Review of the endangerment
decision with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit that is
still pending.
The
state’s legal action asserts that EPA’s
Endangerment Finding is legally unsupported because the agency
outsourced its scientific assessment to the International Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC), which has been discredited by evidence of key
scientists’ lack of objectivity, coordinated efforts to hide
flaws in their research, attempts to keep contravening evidence out of
IPCC reports and violation of freedom of information laws. |
TOTAL’s Deep Conversion Project Approved
The
stalled Title V permit for a project at TOTAL’s Port Arthur
Refinery has been issued by the Texas Commission for Environmental
Quality (TCEQ) with the approval of the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
TCEQ
spokesman Terry Clawson confirmed the permit was issued by the agency
on August 13th, but declined to speculate if the action meant the
simmering dispute between TCEQ and EPA was in fact ending.
The
issuance of TOTAL’s Title V permit could signal a
rapprochement of sorts between the two agencies. The TOTAL permit was
issued by TCEQ with the approval of EPA.
Insight
into the process that resulted in the TOTAL permit being issued came
from former TCEQ Commissioner R.B “Ralph” Marquez,
who is a consultant for TOTAL. “TOTAL did a really great job
making concessions, working with both agencies to resolve this permit
issue,” said Marquez.
Marquez
cautioned that the issuance of the TOTAL permit does not mean the
impasse between the agencies has been resolved, especially for flexible
permits.
“There
is still not a clear solution, in my opinion, for those with flexible
permits,” said Marquez. "But there are a number of other
companies (with pending permits) that, like TOTAL, do not have either
one of those (flexible permits or qualified facilities). Those that are
in that situation, I think there is a good possibility that the permits
can be obtained.”
While
definitely a positive development in the sense that any thawing of the
regulatory freeze is beneficial to industry, there appears to be a long
way to go before both sides pull in their swords and call it a day.
On
July 29th, a bipartisan group of 46 Texas legislators signed a letter
asking TCEQ to quickly resolve the permit dispute with EPA. Although
there is no clear indication the letter played any role in this latest
decision, it didn’t hurt.
The
roots of the dispute run deep, especially where the flexible permits
are concerned. These broadly-drawn rules set a general limit on how
much pollution an entire facility can release, though the federal Clean
Air Act requires state-issued permits to set limits on each of the
dozens of individual production units inside a plant.
EPA
claims it is impossible to regulate emissions under the program, which
has been in place since 1994. TCEQ insists the permits are enforceable
and follow the intent of the law, noting the overall decline in
emissions in Texas since the flexible permits were first issued.
The
lawmakers’ letter to TCEQ states, “Regardless of
who is correct in this dispute, the disapproval of this program has
created a cloud of uncertainty for those businesses that are operating
under a flex permit.”
The
letter further asked TCEQ to come to the aid of companies seeking to
emerge from operating under the flexible permits the EPA finds
objectionable. “We strongly encourage the TCEQ commissioners
and staff to dedicate all the agency resources necessary to address
these permit alterations in the most expeditious manner
necessary,” the letter read.
A
spokesperson for TOTAL declined to comment on the Title V permit, but
the company has an event scheduled for late August where Sylvain de
Lescazes, senior vice president for refining - Americas, will
participate in a Port Arthur celebration marking the start-up of the
Distillate Hydrotreater, the first step toward the completion of the
Deep Conversion Project. |
U.S. Chemicals Sector Lost Jobs in July, but Plastics Saw Gains
Approximately
1,200 U.S. chemical sector workers lost their jobs in July, the
Department of Labor (DOL) recently said, but the plastics industry took
on as many as 2,700 additional workers while overall U.S. unemployment
held steady at 9.5%.
In
its monthly report, the department said that from June to July, the
chemicals sector workforce declined to 777,900 from 779,100, with both
figures seasonally adjusted. The plastics industry saw July employment
rise to 637,400 compared with the June figure of 634,700, according to
the department.
The
July employment figures for both chemicals and plastics nearly
duplicate the respective losses and gains reported for June. Last
month, according to the department, the chemicals sector lost 1,700
jobs while the plastics industry added 2,700 workers.
Overall,
the department said that the nation’s unemployment rate held
steady at 9.5% with 14.6m Americans unable to find work.
Total
non-farm payrolls fell by 131,000 in July, chiefly because of the loss
of 143,000 federal census jobs, which were only partially offset by an
increase of 71,000 jobs in the private sector.
However,
the gain of 71,000 jobs in the private sector was below the 90,000
additional jobs that many economists had expected for the July results.
That
relatively low advance in private sector job growth is seen as another
indication that the U.S. economic recovery is wobbly.
The
U.S. should see private sector job growth of about 100,000 per month
just to accommodate new employees entering the workforce.
Until
the economy can begin to generate job growth well in excess of 100,000
per month, the national unemployment picture is not expected to improve.
The
department said that so far this year, the economy had added some
630,000 private sector jobs, or about 90,000 on average for each of the
first seven months of 2010.
But
most of those private sector jobs – about two-thirds
– were added in March and April when the recovery was showing
more strength, and the pace of hiring has cooled since then.
The
size of the US workforce last month was 130.24m, the department said,
which was slightly less than the 130.29m Americans who had jobs in July
2009. |
Austin Weighs Plastic Bag Ban and Recycling Program
Austin, Texas is now considering a ban on plastic shopping bags, making it the latest Texas city to consider such a ban.
Although
cheap for retailers and convenient for the public, environmentalists
say plastic bags are a costly burden to taxpayers. But plastic bag
makers argue that attempted bans are a misguided effort to control
consumer behavior, undercutting an important industry.
In
June, Austin’s Solid Waste Services Department embarked on a
90-day study that will determine the overall cost of plastic bags from
the point of manufacturing to the moment they hit the landfill. When
the study is complete in September, Austin City Council will determine
if the tax dollars devoted to plastic bags outweigh their added
convenience.
Austin’s mayor, Lee Leffingwell, introduced the idea of this city ordinance against plastic bags in Austin.
“Say
you throw your bag into recycling. Once it gets into the recycling
machine, it gets stuck in the gears, so it ends up we have to take
extra time to pull the bags out,” said Amy Everhart, policy
director for the mayor of Austin. “That's what the
study’s geared towards: figuring out how much it costs to
deal with them.”
As
an alternative to banning bags, Austin retailers successfully
implemented a plastic bag recycling program two years ago that has not
cost taxpayers a penny, but has enabled Austinites to be part of the
solution to promote Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. As part of
the Austin recycling program, major retailers including HEB grocery
stores, Target, and Lowes have recycling containers at their stores
where anyone can bring their plastic bags and plastic film for
recycling. Retailers contract with a recycler who regularly
collects the recycled material at these retail locations and turns the
recycled plastic into plastic lumber, furniture and other durable
products.
TCC
and the American Chemistry Council (ACC) have been working with the
Texas Retailers Association, Texas Restaurant Association, and other
interested parties to inform and urge the public to reduce, reuse and
recycle plastic bags. In coordination with Keep Texas Beautiful, the
group has begun a campaign to educate the public that Texas has the
infrastructure in place to convert recycled plastic into useful
consumer products. The campaign will also highlight attributes of
plastic bag recycling and reuse, including how plastic bags are
recycled into a myriad of durable consumer products.
A
similar program has been successful in Florida entitled “A
Bag’s Life” (www.abagslife.com), which is a public
educational campaign that unites the Florida Recycling Partnership with
non-profits, business, community and government organizations around
the common goal of promoting the reduction, reuse and recycling of
plastic bags.
Until
the Austin study findings are released, retailers will continue to
disperse the bags by the handful, and the resolution will remain in
limbo.
San
Francisco, Washington D.C., and Brownsville, Texas, have already made
changes to their plastic bag policies, and Dallas, Portland, Ore., and
the entire state of California are currently considering changes.
Grocers
in Washington D.C. now charge shoppers a five cent fee for each plastic
bag they take home. In the first month alone, the measure decreased the
use of plastic bags in D.C. by 84 percent.
With
city councils across the country advocating for reusable bags instead
of plastic, the plastic bag industry is mounting a strong response.
Pete
Grande, president of California-based plastic bag manufacturer Command
Packaging, says the isolated negative attention on plastic bags is the
result of environmentalists’ need for a rallying point rather
than the environmental ramifications resulting from the proliferation
of plastic bags.
“If
you're trying to collect money from people to fix something, you need
an enemy. You need a symbol,” he said. “The plastic
bag has become the symbol. [Environmental activists] have gone to
extreme measures to distort facts and create their symbol.
It’s a great fundraising tool for them.”
Grande
believes this method presents the plastic bag ban as a one-sided issue
and inhibits valid criticisms of the ban that need to be addressed. He
added that plastic bag bans would gut the industry and instead help out
Chinese businesses already making reusable bags. “Aren't we
trying to go the other way, trying to encourage manufacturing in this
country?” he said.
But
if the intent of these bans and taxes is to encourage the use of trendy
reusable bags, the results might not be as effective as people think.
In 2008, Whole Foods – which is headquartered in Austin
– imposed an outright ban of plastic bags in their stores
nationwide. Without the plastic option, 85 percent of their consumers
now use paper bags as opposed to reusable bags.
“The
brand new generation born in the 80s has never considered using their
own bags,” Guidry said. “It’s got to be a
change of culture, change of habit, change of mentality.”
The
reusable bags seem like the perfect solution to this ecological
conundrum, but a recent study from the University of Arizona and Loma
Linda University demonstrate they can be breeding grounds for E. Coli
and other dangerous bacteria. The researchers found roughly 50 percent
of inspected reusable bags contained potentially lethal forms of
bacteria.
“People
put their chicken and their hamburgers in [the reusable bags] and that
blood gets on the side of the bag,” Grande said.
“Then the next time they go to the store they’ll
use that same bag for their apples. Bacteria on reusable bags can
create a health hazard.”
This
danger is something Austin definitely plans to address, said officials,
but they aren’t sure how. “If the city ends up
doing this we’d have to engage in some sort of pretty intense
education program,” Everhart said. “We’d
tell people, ‘If you use reusable bags, make sure to wash
them every once in a while.’”
And
while environmentalists emphasize ecological benefits of reusable bags,
the drawbacks are exactly what the plastic industry wants the public to
remember.
“There
are definitely drawbacks to every option,” said Everhart.
“That’s why we have to weigh all of the cost
options.”
|
Survey Shows Brownsville Residents Unhappy with Plastic Bag Ban
A
survey published by the American Chemistry Council (ACC) shows
residents in a Texas community are opposed to a recently enacted ban on
plastic bags in retail stores. The city commission of Brownsville,
Texas, passed a ban on single use plastic bags in January.
The
ACC said 300 Brownsville adults were surveyed, and said 51% of those
questioned wanted to see the bag ban repealed or postponed, and 28%
supported it. The remainder was undecided. The survey also showed that
while most of the residents were aware of the upcoming ban, which goes
into effect in 2011, nearly all of them reported reusing the plastic
bags at home for other uses.
“This
survey demonstrates that the City Commission is out of step with
Brownsville voters,” said Rudy Underwood of ACC.
“The citizens of Brownsville clearly oppose banning this
valued product that most people rely on and then reuse in their
homes.”
In
related news, now that the City of Brownsville may extend its ban to
paper bags, the Duro Bag Manufacturing Company is threatening to close
its plant and leave town.
Earlier
this year, Brownsville became the 12th U.S. city to ban single-use
plastic grocery bags. The community is home to a Duro Bag plant that
employs 120 and makes about 9 million paper bags a day. The company
touts itself as the world’s No. 1 paper bag maker.
When
the plastic ban was adopted, a Duro official told The Brownsville
Herald that the ban was “for the good of the community, for
the good of the people and the environment.”
But
now the tables have been turned. An amendment to the plastic bag ban,
proposed by city’s Environmental Advisory Committee, would
remove language in the original ordinance that specifically exempts
“recyclable paper bags” from the ban.
City
Commissioner Edward C. Camarillo told the newspaper that the change is
not aimed at banning paper bags. “Nobody is trying to ban
paper bags,” he said. “We are not banning paper
bags.”
But
that’s not how Duro is reading the latest developments. Chris
Klein, Duro’s environmental director, thinks the revision is
clearly aimed at banning most paper bags. “Company officials
said the company would have no choice but to move if paper bags were
banned,” Klein said.
|
Eastman Announces Another Longview Plant Expansion
Eastman Chemical has announced plans to expand production capacity at plants in Longview and in the Netherlands.
In
Texas, the company is planning a capacity increase of greater than 10
percent for its trademarked Eastotac hydrogenated aliphatic hydrocarbon
resins. Those resins are used as raw materials essential in hot-melt
and pressure sensitive adhesives, and as binders in nonwoven products
such as disposable diapers, feminine products and pre-saturated wipes,
according to Eastman.
They are also used in a wide range of applications including plastics and rubber modification.
The
Longview expansion is planned for completion in early 2011, officials
said. Company spokeswoman Tracy Broadwater said the latest announced
expansion is in addition to reactivation of cracking plants at the
Longview site announced in June. She said company officials were not
disclosing the size of the anticipated capital investment tied to the
latest expansion.
Longview
Partnership President Kelly Hall said she was not familiar with the
details of Eastman’s plans. But, she said, the fact the
company is in an expansion mode bodes well for the East Texas economy.
“It's
a reflection of Eastman’s commitment to continue to grow the
company,” Hall said. “And Longview continues to
play an important role in that.”
Eastman’s
Brad Lich, vice president and general manager of Eastman's coatings,
adhesives, specialty polymers and inks business, said the action also
reflects growing demand for its products.
“Around
the world, demand continues to grow for Eastman’s
hydrogenated hydrocarbon resins,” Lich said in a prepared
statement. “These investments are a demonstration of our
commitment to growing with our customers and to meeting demand in
developing regions in advance of further capacity
investments.”
Mark
Bogle, vice president and general manager for the Texas Operations
site, in June announced the Longview plant has been approved for major
investment to bring processes previously slated for closure to be put
back into viable operation. He announced a reversal of previous plans
to shut three of four cracking plants on the 6,000-acre Longview site.
Eastman has had four of those plants in operation for years in
Longview. Two of the four plants already had been shut down with plans
to shut a third, he said. |
Air Products Asks Airgas to Reconsider its Offer
The
chairman of Air Products has asked directors at rival Airgas to
reconsider their rejection of Air Products’ offer to buy the
company for $63.50 per share.
Airgas
directors have opposed the deal. Air Products has extended its offer,
which was set to expire August 13th, to October 29th. The company is
also asking Airgas shareholders to elect its three board nominees at a
shareholders’ meeting September 15th.
Air
Products and Chemicals Inc. said on August 16th that it reached an
agreement with the Federal Trade Commission on a consent decree for its
$5.5 billion takeover of Airgas Inc.
In
a letter, Air Products Chairman John McGlade laid out objections of
Airgas directors, and said why he thinks the worries proved unfounded.
He
wrote that Airgas shareholders will be influenced “by their
judgment of whether the incumbent Airgas Board has been honest with
them and is acting in their interests by refusing to negotiate with Air
Products.”
Airgas
said its directors think the Air Products offer “grossly
undervalues” Airgas, and it said 80 percent of its
shareholders had not tendered their shares under the Air Products offer.
Air
Products, of Allentown, Pa., sells gases for industrial, medical and
other uses. It has been pursuing its takeover of Radnor, Pa.-based
Airgas for several months. Airgas sells industrial and medical gases
and provides gas equipment, welding products, tools, and safety gear.
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TPC Group Awards $64,000 in Academic Scholarships
TPC
Group recently awarded $64,000 collectively to 12 graduating high
school seniors for their demonstrated excellence in academics and
commitment to pursue higher education.
The
company’s scholarship program builds on a solid foundation of
community involvement and support for those who seek to improve and
promote educational advancement, environmental responsibility and the
overall well-being of the community at large. Since 2006, TPC
Group has awarded more than $300,000 in academic scholarships to
graduating high school seniors.
Headquartered
in Houston, Texas, TPC Group Inc. sells products into a wide range of
performance, specialty and intermediate markets, including synthetic
rubber, fuel additives, plastics and detergents. The Company has
manufacturing facilities in the industrial corridor adjacent to the
Houston Ship Channel, Port Neches and Baytown, Texas and operates a
product terminal in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
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SMRP Hosts Successful Symposium in Galveston
The
Houston Chapter of the Society for Maintenance and Reliability
Professionals (HCSMRP) presented its 4th Annual Maintenance and
Reliability Symposium (MaRS 2010) at Moody Gardens Hotel on Galveston
Island on August 18th and 19th. The symposium is entirely led, managed
and produced by volunteers, most who work for ACIT member companies.
Attendees
were able to customize their learning experience by selecting from 25
presentations by recognized M&R experts. There were 5
different talks under each of the 5 Body of Knowledge tracks: 1)
Process Reliability, 2) Work Management, 3) Organization &
Leadership, 4) Equipment Reliability, and 5) Business &
Management. Chapter Vice Chair Xavier Grenas of GE and
Chapter Secretary Steven Eubanks of TPC were among the volunteers
moderating the day’s sessions.
The
MaRS 2010 program wrapped up with three Panel discussions attended by
more than fifty plant, service providers and contractor
personnel. Panel Moderator, Jerry Kahn of SIEMENS led a
spirited Q&A session. Panel Topics were: 1) Using 6 Sigma
and LEAN Reliability to Increase Asset Performance; 2) Implementing a
Cost Effective Reliability Program; and 3) Spending Strategies for 2011
for Capital Projects, Maintenance and Reliability.
The
chapter held its 2nd Annual Golf Tournament, which raised money for the
HCSMRP Scholarship Fund. Chapter Treasurer Greg Dunn of
Turner Industries Chapter Treasurer delivered six scholarship checks
totaling $11,500 to Chapter Chairman Clay Naiser of Shell to be awarded
at the symposium.
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Upcoming TCC & ACIT Events
September 16th
– The East Harris County Manufacturer’s Association
would like to invite the ACIT membership to their Quarterly Breakfast
Meeting where TCC’s Vice President Christina Wisdom will be
the guest speaker. For more information, please click here.
September 29th
– ACIT South Texas and the Port Industry of Corpus
Christi
will host a Political Forum and Lunch at Flint Hills Resources.
For more information, please click here.
October 19th-21st – ChemInnovations 2010 Conference & Expo. TCC President & CEO Hector Rivero will be among
the speakers at this event at Reliant Center in Houston. TCC members
are entitled to a $100 discount on the full conference registration
using the promo code SUP2010. For more information, click here.
Mark Your Calendars: TCC/ACIT Chemicals Day 2011 at the Texas Capitol will be held on Wednesday, March 9, 2011.
All 2010 TCC and ACIT events are now listed on the TCC website.
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