DowDuPont Aramid Intermediates to India
DowDuPont plans to outsource to India one of its production lines for the aramid intermediates used in its bullet-resistant Kevlar and flame-resistant Nomex materials. While 100 jobs will be lost when the New Jersey plant closes, production in the state of Virginia, where $50 million is being invested in modernization, will continue.
Manufacturing activity at the New Jersey site will end this month, and the production line will be decommissioned this summer. Local reports said some of the impacted laid off could be transferred to other DowDuPont facilities.
Commenting on the plans to the Delaware News Journal, the merged company, due to be split into three over the next several months, said Indian firm Transpek will be the primary supplier of the products to the US market in future.
“Sourcing these materials from others who have a newer and more cost-effective process allows us to focus our resources on growth opportunities," a spokesman told the newspaper.
The New Jersey lines are located at the Chamber Works site spun off to Chemours in 2015, but are leased by DowDuPont. In late 2016, the nearby township of Carneys Point filed a $1.1 billion lawsuit against DuPont, alleging that it spun off the site to avoid environmental cleanup costs. However, the company said obligations would be met.
