28 Apr 2009
ERJ staff report (R&PN)
St Louis, Missouri-Solutia Inc. temporarily is idling its Flexsys America factory in Monongahela, Pennsylvania, and laying off employees there because of a “dramatic†drop in product demand. The plant makes Crystex, Flexsys' brand name for insoluble suphur.
Insoluble sulphur is used almost exclusively in the tyre industry, and consumption of the chemical is tied directly to tyre manufacturing numbers. Flexsys dominates global insoluble sulphur production.
The rubber chemicals supplier told workers on April 15 of the impending shutdown, a Solutia spokeswoman said. Workers weren't sent home that day, she said, but the plant progressively will be shut down during the next several weeks, and when demand bounces back, production will brought to more normal levels and workers will be recalled back to work as needed.
Parent company Solutia didn't specify how many people work at the Flexsys division's Monongahela plant, but the spokeswoman said the number is less than 100. Hourly and salaried workers at the site are affected by the decision.
From Rubber & Plastics News (A Crain publication)
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