US-based petrochemical maker Dow Inc. put a gas phase PE unit in Bahia Blanca, Argentina, offline to avoid inventory build amid weak demand due to the coronavirus pandemic, market sources informed SSESSMENTS.COM. The unit is expected to remain shut for at least 30 days. However, the exact timeframe for the shutdown is unavailable. According to Jim Fitterling, the shutdown is aimed to balance demand and avoid inventory pressure amid shutdowns in the downstream sector.
Previously, SSESSMENTS.COM reported that the producer shut a solution PE train in Freeport, Texas, a gas phase PE unit in Seadrift, Texas, and two elastomers units in Louisiana. These five units have a combined capacity of around 2 billion pounds/year (907,000 tons/year), accounting for about 10% of Dow’s Packaging & Specialty Plastics capacity.
