| PLANT (MFG) SHUTDOWN |
Dow idles more polyurethanes Dow has indefinitely idled part of its methylene diphenyl diisocyanate production in La Porte, Texas. The idled assets represent about 20% of the 500 million lb of annual MDI capacity at the site. The company says escalating prices for raw materials are hammering profitability in polyurethanes. In 2001, demand and prices declined, reducing profit margins to 10-year lows. Last year, when raw material prices started to escalate, Dow couldn't raise its prices fast enough to keep up. Dow recently announced it will close an MDI unit in Italy after talks to sell it broke down. The company idled a 130 million-lb toluene diisocyanate line in December 2001 and still has no plans to restart it. |
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