Texas Invista Plants Closing for Ike

Houston, TX, Sept. 12, 2008--Koch Industries subsidiary Invista has begun to shut down temporarily three of its plants in south Texas because of hurricane Ike and told those employees not to report for work today.

Two of those plants -- in La Porte and Orange -- are in areas where mandatory evacuation has been ordered.

The third plant, which is in Victoria, isn't expected to be in the direct path of the hurricane. But company officials ordered it shut down "out of an abundance of caution," said Roger Ramseyer, an Invista spokesman at its national headquarters in Wichita.

"We actually began procedures to shut down all three plants (Wednesday)," Ramseyer said. "You don't just flip a switch. You have to do it over time for minimum impact.

"The important thing is you want to be able to shut down sites in a safe and systematic manner to allow your employees to safely evacuate."

Koch and its companies have about 1,000 employees in the Houston area, including the La Porte plant.


Other Archived Articles

Zebra Rugs at Penney Being Recalled   Full Article
Washington, DC, Sept. 12, 2008--About 2,000 JLA Home zebra rugs sold at JC Penney stores are being recalled because they do not meet the federal flammability standard for small rugs and do not have the required flammability warning label.

Applied Coatings Gets Capco as Distributor   Full Article
Rochester, NY, Sept. 12, 2008--The Applied Coatings Group has entered into a new distribution partnership with CapcoTile and Stone in Colorado and Nevada.

RugMark Preparing Photo Exhibit on Child Labor   Full Article
New York, NY, Sept. 12, 2008--International social justice nonprofit RugMark USA and its industry partners are preparing to launch the Faces of Freedom photo exhibition.

One Measure of Consumer Confidence Spikes Higher   Full Article
New York, NY, Sept. 12, 2008--Consumer confidence has improved heading into fall, due partly to dips in gas prices and excitement over the presidential race, according to the Royal Bank of Canada Consumer Attitudes and Spending by Household Index.

Capel Adds Two New Rug Galleries   Full Article
Troy, NC, Sept. 12, 2008--Rug manufacturer and importer Capel Rugs has opened two new rug galleries that expand the company’s presence in the South and Midwest.

Teragren Raising Bamboo Prices   Full Article
Bainbrdge Island, WA, Sept. 11, 2008 – Bamboo specialist Teragren said it is raising prices for its flooring products by approximately 8.5 percent effective Oct. 1.

Four Democrats Want Foreclosure Freeze   Full Article
Washington, DC, Sept. 12, 2008--Four Democratic senators urged the mortgage companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac on Thursday to temporarily freeze foreclosures on loans they hold.

Foreclosure Filings Increase at Slower Pace   Full Article
Irvine, CA, Sept. 12, 2008--August foreclosure filings increased 27 percent compared to the same month a year ago, a much slower pace than in previous months, according to RealtyTrac Inc.

Greyne Custom Names Operations Manager   Full Article
Baltimore, MD, Sept. 10, 2008 — Greyne Custom Wood Co. has named Jess A. Schaetz operations manager.

NAHB Explains New First Time Buyer Tax Credit   Full Article
Washington, DC, Sept 11, 2008--A new $7,500 temporary first-time home buyer tax credit is expected to turn millions of hesitant shoppers into home buyers, says the National Association of Home Builders.

Bentley Prince Street Named a Best Place to Work   Full Article
City of Inustry, CA, Sept. 10, 2008--For the second year in a row, California carpet manufacturer Bentley Prince Street has been named one of the Best Places to Work in Los Angeles in 2008 by the Los Angeles Business Journal.

Jobless Claims Higher Than Expected   Full Article
Washington, DC, Sept. 11, 2008-- Initial jobless claims for unemployment insurance were higher than expected last week, while total benefit rolls rose to the highest level in almost five years, according to the Labor Department.

Bridgewater Buys Groom Industries   Full Article
Salt Lake City, UT, Sept. 11, 2008-Bridgewater Inc. has acquired Groom Industries, a manufacturer of carpet and upholstery grooming tools.

Imports, Exports Set Records as Deficit Swells   Full Article
Washington, DC, Sept. 11, 2008--The U.S. trade deficit rose in July to the highest level in 16 months as oil imports hit an all-time high, offsetting strong export growth. The deficit with China climbed to the second highest level on record.

Kährs Expanding Plant in Sweden   Full Article
Nybro, Sweden, Sept. 9, 2008--Wood flooring manufacturer Kährs is investing $14.8 million at its Nybro factory in Sweden but will also lay off about 245 employees because of weak market conditions, Timber Industry Magazine reported.

Bamboo Firm on Inc. 5000 List   Full Article
Poulsbo, WA, Sept. 10, 2008--Bamboo flooring company Higuera Hardwoods has ranked No. 623 by Inc. Magazine in its list of the Inc. 5000.

British Builder Offers Unusual Incentive   Full Article
London, England, Sept. 10, 2008--Barratt Developments PLC, Britain's second-biggest house builder by volume, said that full-year profits fell by 71 percent as the credit crunch depressed sales in the second half.

Floor Sculpture Inspired by Michigan Forest   Full Article
Grand Rapids, MI, Sept. 10, 2008--Michele Oka Doner has spent the past year working on her newest sculpture, only to have visitors at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park walk all over it.

Merger of Benyon Sports, Defargo Completed   Full Article
Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Sept. 9, 2008-- The merger of FieldTurf Tarkett companies Beynon Sports Surfaces and Defargo USA has been completed, the company said.

CFOs More Upbeat About Economy   Full Article
Durham, NC, Sept. 10, 2008--Chief financial officers are more optimistic about the direction of the U.S. economy, but remain concerned about consumer demand and weak credit markets, according to a quarterly survey by Duke University/CFO Magazine .