Top 10 of 2017: Hurricane Harvey rocks industry

There's always something new and exciting going on in the rubber industry, and 2017 was no exception.

The year saw many more acquisitions, disputes and breakthroughs, not to mention industry-wide trends affecting manufacturers worldwide.

It's easy to lose track of what transpired, so RPN is here to help. We've compiled what the editorial staff saw as the 10 biggest stories in the industry. In addition, we've put together a recap to some of the other major events that had a broad impact in a variety of industry sectors.

As we prepare for another exciting year, join us as we look back at 2017.

We started our countdown with Judit Puskas, whose career was celebrated this year when she became the first female recipient of the ACS Rubber Division's Charles Goodyear Medal, and continued with a look at the slow rebound of the oil and gas industry.

We also examined the merger between chemical giants Dow and Dupont and looked at the fines Goodyear received after the deaths of five workers.

Today, we take a look at the No. 6 story of 2017.

6. Hurricane Harvey rocks industry

One of the more unexpected twists that occurred in 2017 was Hurricane Harvey, which left most of Houston devastated. And with plenty of rubber manufacturers and chemical makers located in the rich oil and gas area of Texas, the storm made its impact on the rubber industry too.

Virtually every manufacturer, supplier and distributor in southeast Texas reported plant closures or curtailed production because of Harvey, though reports of property damage at the sites were limited. Impassable roads, power outages and damages to railways and port facilities made travel and shipping nearly impossible.

Arkema's site in Crosby, Texas, caught fire because organic peroxides could not be cooled thanks to power outages, causing them to overheat in contained trailers. Fortunately, the damage was minimal and contained within the site.