News

We would like to express our sincere sympathies with all of you who were struck by the 2011 off the Pacific Coast of Tohoku Earthquake that occurred on March 11th, 2011. We are hoping for the early revival in the area that is suffering from the disaster.

We hereby inform you of the current situation of the Shin-Etsu Group’s production sites, which were impacted by the earthquake, as below.

Current situation of Shin-Etsu Group’s plants being out of operations

As of 1:00p.m., March 17 (Japan Time), all of operations at both Shin-Etsu Chemical Kashima Plant (Kamisu, Ibaraki Pref.) and Shin-Etsu Handotai Shirakawa Plant (Nishigo Village, Fukushima Pref.) are being wholly halted. Although the aftershocks have been frequently occurring, we are to carry out necessary inspections at our plants putting the utmost priority on safety.

Regarding the situation of Shin-Etsu Handotai Shirakawa Plant, although inspection work is being interrupted under such circumstances as above, damages of the production facilities and equipments were found on inspections. At present, it is still unclear how long it takes to restore such damaged facilities and equipments. For the time being, we will set up production systems at other plants of Shin-Etsu Handotai Group, which are currently continuing operations, except for Shin-Etsu Handotai Shirakawa Plant, so that we may respond to the current situation.

As for Shin-Etsu Chemical Kashima Plant, we are continuing inspections of the production facilities and equipments and some damages have been found until now. The Kashima Plant is located in the Kashima industrial complex facing to the Kashima Port. Since the damages are found in the facilities of the Kashima Port and the utilities such as electric power and water supply in the Kashima industrial complex, it is still unclear how long it takes to restore the Kashima Plant at present.

Furthermore, the rolling blackouts implemented by TOKYO ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY and Tohoku-Electric Power Co.,Inc., are affecting the operations at Shin-Etsu Group’s production sites located in their respective electric power supply areas. We will cooperate for reduction and restriction of the usage of electric power with all the Company efforts.

We will continue to implement necessary inspections and do our utmost for recovery. We will announce the updated information if any situation has changed.