MIDLAND, Mich. (May 25) — Dow Chemical Co.´s polymeric methylene diphenyl diisocyanate facility at Freeport, Texas, has completed its start-up phase and is now fully operational.
Production at the new 500 million-pound facility will replace PMDI production at the firm´s Dow LaPorte, Texas, plant, which will be permanently shut down effective immediately, according to the company. Dow announced the closing last year.
"The shutdown of our LaPorte PMDI facility was contingent upon completion of the start up of our new, state-of-the-art Freeport facility," said Steven English, global business director for Dow Isocyanates. "Dow´s investment in the Freeport plant represents our commitment to providing our customers with reliable and consistent product supply.
"Demand for MDI has been high. Fortunately, we were able to extend our operations at LaPorte to supply customers while Freeport was coming up. We anticipate no net increase in capacity since production of our PMDI products will merely shift to the new facility."
Dow will continue to operate its MDI distillation facility at LaPorte.