Chemical Plant Shutdown Could Cut Auto Production

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NEWS FOR YOU Chemical plant shutdown could cut auto Sex Toy Fools Entire Chinese Village production Alice Walker Boycotts Hebrew, but Supports Terrorist Hamas By DEE-ANN DURBIN and TOM KRISHER | Associated Press – Mon, Apr 16, 2012 Summer Vacation Perennial: The Mountains or the Beach? Bahrain 11-year-old 'to hear verdict on July 5' Kevin Costner sued for blocking neighbor's view World’s highest paid athlete has taxpayers paying DETROIT (AP) — The potential shortage of a key component used to make fuel lines and brake lines his rent could force automakers in the U.S. and around the world to close car and truck plants as they run NYC 5th-Grade Student Makes Controversial Case for Gay Marriage short of parts. The Texas school that allegedly scrubbed down Auto industry executives have scheduled an unprecedented meeting on Tuesday in suburban Detroit an 8-year-old 'jail-style' to talk about the problem. Officials from as many as 10 automakers and dozens of parts supply companies are set to attend. AdChoices

A March 31 explosion at Evonik Industries in western Germany killed two workers and damaged a factory that makes CDT. That chemical is a key component in a nylon resin called PA12, which is used to make a specialized plastic. The plastic is used in auto fuel lines and brake lines. It is also a component in solar cells, pipelines, sporting goods and household items.

Any auto plant closures that might result from the shortage would come at a crucial time for the industry. U.S. sales are the highest they have been in recent years as the industry recovers from the recession. March was the best month for the industry in nearly five years.

Automakers aren't pushing the panic button yet, but they are concerned.

General Motors Co. said Monday that some of its parts suppliers are affected, and GM has set up a global team to allocate existing parts and find alternate materials. Spokeswoman Kelly Cusinato said it's too soon to predict the impact of the shortage.

Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler Group said they haven't had any factory disruptions, but are monitoring the situation.

"The shortage is real and immediate," TI Automotive Ltd. Chairman and CEO William Kozyra wrote in a memo to customers last week. "The possibility of production interruptions at some of your facilities in the next few weeks is high."

TI Automotive is a major supplier of fuel lines and other parts. TI and the Automotive Industry Action Group, a trade association, are organizing Tuesday's meeting of auto industry executives. Episode 15: Can John and Michele get Evonik is a major supplier of PA12. While a small number of other companies also make it, they could out of debt? lose a key building block in the formula, since Evonik supplies many of them with the essential John is working again but the months of unemployment ingredient CDT. wreaked havoc on his family's finances. Yahoo! finance expert Farnoosh Torabi helps them get back on track. Join the Auto parts makers can't switch to another chemical quickly because it would need to be thoroughly conversation. tested, said J. Scot Sharland, executive director of the Automotive Industry Action Group. Learn more about Remake America » PA12 has been in short supply for about two years, as demand from the solar industry increased. The BUSINESS NEWS » Evonik incident will worsen the shortage, which could hit every major automaker, Sharland said. Wall Street edges down in "These guys are a major player. As such, the supply of the material is going to be compromised," he volatile post-Fed trade Ryan said, adding that the Evonik plant is expected to be out of commission for months. Vlastelica NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks Messages were left for several Evonik spokesmen on Monday. edged lower on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve acted to aid the fragile economy

http://news.yahoo.com/chemical-plant-shutdown-could-cut-auto-production-220943920.html Page 1 / 3 The blast at the German plant came a little more than a year after the earthquake and tsunami in with stimulus measures that were in line with market expectations but went no further. Stocks … Japan wreaked havoc on the automotive supply chain. In that case, there were no alternatives to Japanese suppliers of specialized electronic equipment, and automakers lost hundreds of thousands Fed extends 'Twist' program to drive rates of vehicles while they worked to reestablish supplies. lower MARTIN CRUTSINGER In this case, there are other suppliers, but not many. Paul Blanchard, a senior principal chemical The Federal Reserve is trying again to jolt an economy that's analyst at consulting firm IHS, said there are only three or four other suppliers of CDT — the key being held back by a weakened job market. ingredient of PA12 — in the world. Evonik and French chemical company Arkema together make Bernanke: Bond buys an option if economy nearly half the world's supply of the nylon resin. sours MARTIN CRUTSINGER

"This is a very small part of the small plastics industry," he said. Chairman Ben Bernanke said Wednesday that the Federal Reserve is open to another round of bond purchases to lower long-term interest rates and boost Blanchard said automobile fuel lines were previously made of rubber. Carmakers switched to other growth if the job market doesn't improve. materials when ethanol was added to gasoline in the 1990s because ethanol ate through rubber Boeing 787's dimmable tubing. Tubing made with PA12, or Nylon-12, is prized for its strength and heat resistance. windows not dark enough, says ANA Tim Kelly Blanchard said the auto industry has been looking for materials to replace PA12 because the ongoing TOKYO (Reuters) - Boeing Co's shortages of it have caused prices to spike in the last two years. launch customer for its 787 Dreamliner, Japan's All Nippon Airways says the plane's electronic dimmable windows are not dark enough for long haul flights and has asked the …

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