The Chemours Co. resumed titanium dioxide production at its facility in Altamira, Mexico, after the local government lifted water intake restrictions, the chemical maker stated in a June 24 release.
Last month, the Mexico state of Tamaulipas’ government requested Chemours and other manufacturers in the Altamira area to minimize their water intake due to the country’s ongoing drought.
The restrictions affected at least six chemical company facilities in the area, Jena Santoro, senior manager of global risk intelligence at software risk tracking company Everstream Analytics, said in an email to Manufacturing Dive. As a result, some of the affected chemical makers sent force majeure notices to their customers.
Along with Chemours, petrochemical company Saudi Basic Industries Corp., resin maker Ineos Styrolution, polymer producers M&G Polimeros and Vestolit and chemical company Cabot Corp. have also paused, Santoro said.
However, Cabot plans to resume production of carbon black additives at its Altamira site soon, Plastics News reported.
Despite the ongoing drought, rains from Tropical Storm Alberto brought some relief to the affected area, generating a large flow of water from the upper basin of the Guayalejo-Tamesí River, the Mexico government said in a June 24 Facebook post.
Still, Tamaulipas government officials said despite the significant recovery progress, they must maintain measures for rational use of the water resources.
