November 26, 2018

The Delaware Memorial Bridge reopened late Sunday night following a chemical leak at a nearby plant. No injuries were reported.

11/26/18 Damian Giletto, The News Journal

A toxic gas leak from a chemical plant near the base of the Delaware Memorial Bridge on Sunday shut down all lanes of traffic on the busy holiday weekend for more than six hours.

A hazmat crew was called to Croda Inc. in New Castle at 4:16 p.m. for leaking ethylene oxide, an extremely flammable gas, from a tank on the site, according to Holloway Terrace Fire Chief Mark Willis.

At 11:20 p.m., the leak was contained and the bridge reopened.

Ethylene oxide is used to manufacture other chemicals, to sterilize medical devices and as a fumigant, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The gas was transferred from the leaking tank to a secure one. More than 70 percent of the gas escaped the chemical tank, said fire company spokesman George Greenley.

As of 11:20 p.m. Sunday, the ethylene oxide was fully contained, the chemical plant announced.

Residents in New Castle neighborhoods north of Moores Lane were urged to stay in their homes, said New Castle City Police Chief Richard McCabe. Dispatchers used a reverse 911 call to notify residents.

No injuries have been reported.

All north and south lanes of Delaware Memorial Bridge closed around 5 p.m. as a precautionary measure as crews responded to the leak, Delaware River and Bay Authority spokesman Jim Salmon said.

Interstate 295 closed at I-95, and traffic was diverted to the Commodore Barry, Walt Whitman or Ben Franklin bridges. The congestion from the bridge had a ripple effect along I-95 and other major roadways, causing major delays for the end of the holiday weekend.

“We deeply regret the significant inconvenience that this has had on the community and those traveling in the area,” a press release said.

Dan Heneghan said his son and his daughter-in-law, who is diabetic, were stuck on the New Jersey side of the bridge, trying to return home to northern Virginia. They had just spent the holiday with Heneghan in Ventnor City.

British-based Croda Inc. is an international specialty chemical manufacturer.

Atlas Point, Croda’s Delaware location, manufactures formulas ranging from pharmaceutical use to industrial chemicals. Croda bought the site from Uniqema in 2006.

The process of turning ethanol into ethylene oxide is new — something Croda began doing less than six months at its Atlas Point location, according to Greenley.

A manufacturing operation has been at Atlas Point for more than 75 years.

Contact Josephine Peterson at (302) 324-2856 or jhpeterson@delawareonline.com

https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/crime/2018/11/25/gas-leak-closes-delaware-memorial-bridge-both-directions/2109773002/

November 26, 2018

ERA Polymers to Build in North Carolina

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Era Polymers are very pleased to announce, that we have
purchased a purpose built polyurethane manufacturing facility in
North Carolina, USA.

So, what does that mean?

WELL, The facility has been specifically designed to manufacture
the sorts of urethane systems, that we have been selling into the
USA, for more than 15 years.

• We have reactors (we call them KETTLES).
• We have a tank farm (we call them Bulk Storage facilities).
• We have hot boxes (I think that you also call them hot boxes,
or maybe, LARGE ovens, for melting stuff).
• We have laboratories. (To “die for” … I’m a connoisseur of
laboratories… I think that we have about 16, stashed around
the world. And these new laboratories, are superb).

Just to show you what I mean , I have attached some photos.
And, above all that “stuff”, we have the right skilled people to
operate the plant.

I’ve said it for a long, long, time;
“ We are only as good as the people that we employ…
AND, we employ, a lot of very good people”

In total, we have everything we need to produce the high quality
prepolymer systems, that we have become famous for.
We have started outfitting our new facility. In a few short months, we
will be “ready to go”.

This facility will produce urethane prepolymers, not just for the USA
market, but also, for the Canadian, Mexican, South American, and
European markets.

And like with all our facilities, in Australia, New Zealand and South
Africa… we will encourage our customers, YOU, to come and see what
we do, and how we do it! Era Polymers is a family business.
We are 150 people strong.

We are passionate, about all things, polyurethanes…AND, we are
especially very passionate, about our customers.

We look forward to being of continuing service to you…. NOW, from
our new home, in Stanley, North Carolina, USA.

Best Wishes, George Papamanuel