Daikin fluoroelastomer plant project behind schedule

LONDON (July 11)—Daikin Industries Ltd. said its fluoroelastomer plant at AtoFina S.A.´s site in Pierre-Benite, France, won't open until next February, a year later than originally planned. The delay is connected to last year´s explosion at a chemical fertilizer plant outside Toulouse, France, according to a Daikin spokesman. The incident prompted French politicians to call for all chemical factories to be relocated away from areas where people live. To address these concerns, Daikin carried out a time-consuming reassessment of its plans at Pierre-Benite, according to its spokesman, and is moving the site to the outskirts from the center of the town.