In the wake of a fire on July 16th, Dow has declared a force majeure on Ethylene Oxide (EO) at their Plaquemine, LA unit. The aftermath of the blaze is expected to halt operations for a few weeks at least, with industry insiders hinting that supply issues could extend into the months ahead.
EO plays a crucial role as a raw material in the production of MEG, PET, Surfactants, and more. Despite an overall softness in demand, the ripple effect of this unexpected outage is poised to send significant waves through the global supply chain.
To read more about the fire and its effects, read the ICIS report here.