Chemical Plant Maintenance Spending Remains Strong Through Summer Months

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Researched by Industrialinfo.com (Industrial Information Resources, Incorporated; Houston, Texas). Industrialinfo.com has identified 90 chemical plant or unit maintenance turnarounds planned to kick-off during the third quarter totaling approximately $220 million. Maintenance spending in the chemical industry has continued to increase as plant owners have placed an increased emphasis on predictive and preventative maintenance routines as capital budgets have dwindled.

The summer months generally bring an increase in maintenance turnaround activity for many chemical producers located in the Northeast and on the East Coast. Harsh winter months that presented only a limited opportunity for down time have passed and many producers take advantage of warmer months to complete planned maintenance routines that might not have been possible during colder months.

As summer temperatures rise, chemical producers in the Southwest and Southeast often avoid maintenance downtime due to temperatures that make maintenance activities inside tanks and production units unsafe and unproductive. Industrialinfo.com reported 42 chemical plant or unit maintenance turnarounds planned to kick-off in the second quarter of 2003 in the Southwest and Southeast regions compared to only 25 turnarounds in the same regions for the third quarter of this year.

Click the image at right to view the Chemical Plant Maintenance Spending Analysis

"In comparing reported maintenance turnaround activity for the second and third quarters of this year there was little difference in total spending and the number of projects. The real difference was in geographies and the types of plants that are coming offline," commented Trey Hamblet, Chemicals Group Manager for Industrialinfo.com. See related article 2Q03 Maintenance spending Chemical Plant Maintenance Turnaround Spending in Second Quarter Nears $300 Million