Destruction in Japan due to earthquake and tsunami. (C) AP Photo.
CHINA TOWN, SINGAPORE: With the recent earthquake in Japan, followed by the Tsunami, many chemical companies were forced to suspend their operations in the region. Mitsui Chemicals Group reports the following effects of the Kanto-Tohoku earthquake on its operations.Operations at the Kashima Works (Kamisu City, Ibaraki Prefecture), has been suspended since the earthquake. Operations will be resumed after assessment of damage by the earthquake and tsunami.
At its Ichihara Works (Ichihara, Chiba Prefecture), production at ethylene plants is according to schedule. However, the operations at Mitsui DuPont Polychemicals and Chiba Phenol plants have been suspended since the earthquake. After assessing effect of scheduled “rolling” blackout, operations will be resumed.
At the Mobara Branch Factory (Mobara City, Chiba Prefecture), operations at acrylamide and paint toner binder resin plants have been suspended since the earthquake. After assessing effect of scheduled “rolling” blackout, operations will be resumed. All other facilities are operating according to schedule.
Similarly, the Asahi Kasei Group due to the earthquake has suspended its operations and the degree of damage to facilities is currently under investigation. The company has made no forecast for the resumption of operations. The operations of Asahi Kasei Construction Materials Corp Sakai Plant and Neoma Foam Plant (Ibaraki Prefecture), Asahi Kasei Toko Power Devices Corp Ishinomaki Plant (Miyagi Prefecture) andAsahi Kasei Metals Ltd Tomobe Plant (Ibaraki Prefecture) have shut down operations. Further, there has been no material impact on their production facilities due to the rolling blackouts implemented by TEPCO. The effect on construction sites of Asahi Kasei Homes Corp, including procurement of supplies, is currently under investigation.
Many of the chemical companies are investigating the damages at the plants following which they will announce when they will resume their operations. As earlier known, Japan has a track record of coming back to its feet at the earliest and in this case many forecast the same enthusiasm.
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