Celanese Corporation (NYSE:CE), a leading global chemical company, today announced it will shut down its vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) production unit in Cangrejera, Mexico, and cease VAM production at Cangrejera effective end of February 2009.
Following a thorough assessment of the Cangrejera VAM production unit, the company notes that this capacity reduction is necessitated by the significant change in the global economic environment, the cost structure of its VAM unit operations in Cangrejera, and anticipated lower customer demand.
The VAM production unit at the company’s Cangrejera facility has an annual production capacity of 115,000 tons. The company expects to meet its customer obligations for VAM production from Celanese facilities in North America, Asia and Europe.
Celanese’s Cangrejera plant will continue to produce other products including acetic anhydride, ethyl acetate, methylamines, acetone derivatives, and mesityl oxide to meet customer commitments in Mexico and other countries.