Ashland Resumes Operations in Texas Following Harvey Impact

Ashland Global Holdings Inc (ASH) said that its manufacturing facilities in Texas City, Texas, and Marl, Germany, have resumed normal operations after shutting down last month due to Hurricane Harvey in south Texas and a previously announced fire at the German plant.

The Texas City plant - which produces PVP linear and crosslinked homopolymers, PVP/VA copolymers and NMP - returned to full production late last week after being down nearly three weeks due to the impact from the hurricane. Local staff and a supplemental team of experts from across Ashland followed a comprehensive recovery plan to ensure all equipment was safe and in proper working condition prior to restart.

Rail service to the plant is back online, and shipping operations have returned to normal at the warehouse near the Texas City facility.

Ashland also has seen marked improvements in the broader shipping, trucking and rail networks, although some congestion remains and bulk truck capacity is tight in Texas as plants in the area restart and work through pent-up demand. The Port of Houston has re-opened, although some delays are expected, and domestic shipping is improving, particularly for packaged goods.

"This was an incredible team effort to help the Texas City plant return to safe and responsible operations following such a tragic event. It's a testament to the tremendous pride and commitment of everyone involved, particularly our 180 colleagues in Texas City, many of whom are facing personal hardship and property losses following the unprecedented flooding," said William Wulfsohn, Ashland chairman and CEO.

“At the same time, teams from across our organization - including operations, supply chain, information technology, environmental, health and safety, and human resources - have provided critical support and expertise."  

Marl facility returns to normal

The Marl plant - which produces 1.4 butanediol (BDO), tetrahydrofuran (THF) and formaldehyde - also has restarted production ahead of schedule. The company declared a force majeure in Europe on August 11 as a result of a fire that led to the shutdown of the plant. Supply of those products in Europe remains somewhat restricted in the short term as the company works to rebuild inventory and return to normal operations. Ashland has been working closely with affected customers to minimize the impact to their respective businesses during the shutdown and while the force majeure is in effect.