Document rxGVVpqE1x2grwN0BkLZGe1dJ

TENNECO POLYMERS, INC (COMPANY) TO: FOR: FROM: RE: F. Koslosky R. R. Neugold HIGHLIGHTS OF MARCH - 1985 INTEROFFICE COMMUNICATION DATE: April 2, 1985 CC: H. R. Bowers G. E. Disch D. M. Hersh W. Miringoff C, Tabata I. SAFETY Month Y-T-D Goal Total Year Incidence Rate Y-T-D Incidence Goal First Aids 0 4 24 6.3 Minor 00 20 RWA 23 4 4.7 Lost Time 00 10 Total Recordables 2 3 7 4.7 9.3 .8 1.6 0.4 2.7 Goals are based on: Total man-hours for March, 1985 Total man-hours YTD: Last lost time injury occurred on: Total man-hours since last lost time injury: Total days since last lost time injury: 516,000 man-hours in 1985 41,649 126,978 3/2/84 519,869 394 1. The Compound Area suffered a RWA accident when a mixer operator slipped on a plasticizer wet spot on the floor and struck his head, 2. The Resin Dispersion Area suffered a RWA accident when a GSO twisted his ankle when descending from the palletizing area to the bagging area. 3. The Plant Safety Council met on 3/20/85. 4. The monthly safety topics were: the Lead Standard 1910,1025 in the Compound Area and auto seat belt safety in the Resin Area. 5. The Labor/Management safety tours were conducted on 3/7/85 in Resin and 3/28/85 in Compound. TEN-FLEM 20010 F. Koslosky Page 2 April 2, 1985 II. STATISTICS A. Burlington Site - Attachment I B. Burlington Site Production Loss Report - Attachment II C. Burlington Site Quality - Attachment III D. Burlington Site Headcount - Attachment IV III. PERSONNEL 1. A third step grievance and communications meeting was held with Compound on 3/8/85, with no unusual developments. 2. The Union President for Compound resigned his office effective 3/29/85, and Mr. R. Smigocki was appointed to replace him. 3. A third step Resin Union Committee meeting was held on 3/14/85. A total of five (5) grievances relating to overtime assignment, overtime pay, and vacation work schedules were heard. 4. A total of 42 employees volunteered for the 1985 Tenneco Polymers Red Cross Blood Drive. 5. Discussions were held with both Union Committees to update overtime procedures. 6. Mr. Harris visited the Houston office to discuss salaried and-hourly benefit plans. 7. GRIEVANCES Month Year-To-Date Resin Compound 37 47 IV. COSTS The March costs were impacted by self-imposed production restrictions to adjust downward Dispersion and Compound inventories. 1. Suspension resin had a variable cost of $0.0012/lb. less than the budget at $0.0515 Fixed costs were $30M above budget at $519M, 2. Dispersion resin had a variable cost of $0.0053/lb. above budget at $0.0937/lb. Fixed costs were $36M above budget at $539M. 3. Compound variable cost was $0.0028/lb. more than budget at $0.1848/lb. Fixed costs were $1M under budget at $422M. TEN 4711 F. Koslosky Page 3 April 2, 1985 V. MAJOR PROJECTS AND ON-GOING PROGRAMS 1. A Homopolymer reactor replacement start-up planning meeting was held on 3/21/85 to indoctrinate supervision on the equipment modification and the operating plan. 2. An initial meeting with PSE&G was held to determine PSE&G costs to deliver gas purchased outside of New Jersey to the Burlington Plant. Their proposed tariff is being evaluated. 3. The 10MM lb. slurry magnet operation was improved by enlarging the drain line size to lh" with a resultant improvement in the visual contamination. 4. A failure in the phenol add system to the copolymer final condensers #1 and #2 resulted in pluggage due to lack of inhibitor. Now back to normal, 5. Dispersion ran "B" Plant only the last seven (7) days of March to limit inventory and minimize overtime for absentee coverage. 6. Experienced four (4) seal failures on blending resin reactors. 7. A reduction in batch size of Methocel copolymer has been successful in eliminating rupture disk port pluggage problems. VI. CAPITAL PROJECTS 1. The reactor replacement pipe and electrical work is proceeding. The three (3) specially inspected reactors should arrive in April. Looking for completion of project late in June. 2. The sludge dewatering piping and electrical work is well underway. Looking for early May start-up. 3. Spill containment and well water project now anticipating April completion for use on both. 4. The tower top entry cleaning is being tested. Looking for final completion in April. VII. ENVIRONMENTAL 1. R. F. Weston completed the treatability study for ammonia. Anticipate receipt of final report in April. 2. The VCM spill alarm was activated on 3/7/85 when pluggage in the "A" homo system caused a minor discharge from the pipeline to the tower being charged. There was no personnel exposure. 3. The VCM spill alarm sounded on 3/8/85 when a rupture disk and relief valve operated at an apparently normal operating condition. There was no exposure. NJDEP was advised. TEN 4712 F. Koslosky Page 4 April 2, 1985 4. Effluent treatment water data available indicates full compliance. 5. The landfill operation of sludge and dragout was terminated on 3/15/85. Still searching for landfill or incinerator capability for solids being generated. 6. All NESHAP sampling was in compliance. 7. Mr. Kanzler inspected the Keystone Cement operation in Bethlehem, Pa., to review their equipment and practice for thermal destruction of flammable hazardous waste. 8. A NJDEP Hazardous Waste inspector contacted the plant on 3/29/85 in response to a neighbor's complaint re two drums. They were empty and near well #10. VIII. OPPORTUNITIES 1. The Compound Plant continues to operate at better than standard production volume throughput levels. 2. American Metal Moulding, a Compound customer, entertained key plant staff to display their pleasure with our attention to their business. 3. The Quality Strategy workshop should benefit the plant with better customer acceptance where needed at better cost performance. IX. VULNERABILITIES 1. The plant is still searching for a disposal site for our waste treatment plant sludge. 2. The Conrail performance is still below par with weekly missed cars and missed drills. 3. The plant is still experiencing more than historical long-term absences in the Resin Area. The trend appears to be improving, however. X. INDUSTRY TRENDS 1. CBS is relatively unchanged. TEN 4713 F. Koslosky Page 5 April 2, 1985 XI. GENERAL 1. On 3/25/85, the writer gave initial pretrial deposition in the Ferrara vs Tenneco Chemicals suit. 2. The plant was designated by the N.J. State Safety Council for an Industry Award for its 1984 performance. 3. Mr. Wunder and the writer met with Mr. Walt Corter, Burlington Township Public Safety Director, and Mr. Bob Ent, Deputy Fire Chief, as required by RCRA. We plan to have a fire department familiarization plant tour in May. RRN:pjd Attchs. R. R. Neugold TEN 4714 HIGHLIGHTS OF MARCH, 1985 II. STATISTICS PRODUCTION (M LBS.) MONTH ACTUAL BUDGET YEAR-TO-DATE ACTUAL BUDGET Combined Suspension *Variable Cost Est. Fixed Cost Est. Conversion Cost Est. M Lbs. ($/lb.) ( $M ) ($ / lb.) 4.925 0.0515 519.0 0.1465 4.700 0.0527 489.0 0.1499 13.951 0.0529 1425.0 0.1428 13.400 0.0527 1466.0 0.1499 Copolymer *Variable Cost Est. Fixed Cost Est. Conversion Cost Est. M Lbs. ($/lb.) ( $M ) ($/lb.) 3.791 0.0486 383.0 0.1383 3.100 0.0504 332.0 0.1430 11.120 0.0499 1078.0 0.1348 9.200 0.0504 995.0 0.1430 Blending Resin ^Variable Cost Est. Fixed Cost Est. Conversion Cost Est. M Lbs. ($/lb.) ( $M ) (S/lb.) 1.134 0.0638 136.0 0.1815 1.600 0.0586 157.0 0.1678 2.831 0.0655 347.0 0.1769 4.200 0.0586 471.0 0.1678 Dispersion *Variable Cost Est. Fixed Cost Est. Conversion Cost Est. M Lbs. ($/lb.) ( $M ) (S/lb.) 3.312 0.0937 539.0 0.2279 3.250 0.0884 503.2 0.2068 9.779 0.0916 1531.0 0.2167 9.750 0.0884 1509.5 0.2068 Compound *Variable Cost Est. Fixed Cost Est. Conversion Cost Est. M Lbs. ($/lb.) ( $M ) (S/lb.) 9.147 0.1848 422.0 0.0559 8.333 0.1820 423.0 0.0623 28.286 0.1758 1183.0 0.0521 24.999 0.1820 1269.0 0.0623 EFFICIENCY (%) (Std. Product) Copolymer Blending Resin Dispersion Compound 98.0 96.8 97.9 97.8 97.9 96.8 97.6 97.6 97.9 96.8 97.5 97.8 97.9 96.8 97.6 97.6 RFT & NON-OFFGRADE (% Total Production) NEXT MONTH EST. 4.700 0.048( 519.0 0.147: 3.700 0.045^ 385.0 0.139( 1.000 o.06i: 134.0 0.182` 2.200 0.108( 495.0 0.300 8.800 0.184 419.0 0.056 97.9 96.8 97.5 97.7 Copolymer RFT NOG Blending Resin RFT NOG Dispersion RFT NOG Compound RFT NOG 97.1 100.0 100.0 100.0 95.5 99.8 99.1 99.5 96.1 100.0 99.6 99.8 92.5 99.1 99.0 99.2 95.0 100.0 95.0 100.0 95.0 99.0 99.0 99.5 *Excludes VCM, VAM, and Resins TEN 4715 HIGHLIGHTS OF MARCH, 1985 MONTH ACTUAL BUDGET YEAR--TO-DATE ACTUAL BUDGET NEXT MONTH EST. SITE OVERTIME (%) Total Overtime (%) Controllable O.T. (%) 8.6 10.8 8.3 10.0 9.8 10.0 9.0 REACTOR UTILIZATION (%) Suspension Area Dispersion Area CM UTILIZATION (%) Compound Area Line #1 Line #2 SHIPMENTS (M LBS.) Copolymer Blending Resin Dispersion Compound 86.2 75.1 84.0 79.8 85.3 71.7 84.0 79.8 85.0 74.0 92.3 92.0 2.272 1.308 3.659 9.245 82.0 84.0 3.083 1.250 3.250 8.333 89.8 88.5 8.462 2.818 9.408 28.260 82.0 84.0 88.0 86.0 - TAILINGS/SWEEPS SHIPMENTS (M LBS.) Copolymer Blending Resin Dispersion Compound 0.022 0.053 0 0 0.066 0.102 0.038 0 ENDING INVENTORY (M LBS.) Copolymer Blending Resin Dispersion Compound 3.525 0.963 1.989 5.962 CHANGE +1.519 -0.159 -0.311 +0.255 TEN 4716 HIGHLIGHTS OF MARCH, 1985 II. STATISTICS - SUSPENSION Reactor Capacity (100% fastest product, 100% stream time) Product Mix Penalty Reactor Capacity at Actual Mix Actual Monthly Production Reactor Capacity Efficiency (Actual Mix) Reasons for Production Losses Lost 4 blending resin seals ATTACHMENT II M LBS, 5.390 0.436 4.954 4.925 99.4% ' 0.029 STATISTICS - DISPERSION Reactor Capacity (100% fastest product, 100% stream time) Product Mix Penalty Reactor Capacity at Actual Mix Actual Monthly Production Reactor Capacity Efficiency (Actual Mix) Reasons for Production Losses Intentional production curtailment to adjust high finished product inventories STATISTICS - COMPOUND CM Capacity (100% fastest product, 100% stream time) Product Mix Penalty CM Capacity at Actual Mix Actual Monthly Production CM Capacity Efficiency (Actual Mix) Reasons for Production Losses 3.714 0.068 3.646 3.312 90.8% 0.387 8.911 0.419 8.492 9.147 107.7% N/A TEN 4717 HIGHLIGHTS OF MARCH, 1985 ATTACHMENT III STATISTICS Area Suspension Copolymer Blending Resin M Lbs E-Grade 110.50 110.50 0.00 QUALITY M Lbs Off-Grade % RFT 0.00 97.74 0.00 97.06 0.00 100.00 % NOG 100.00 100.00 100.00 Dispersion 148.50 6.75 95.52 99.80 Compound Rigids Flexibles Records 77.64 32.99 15.85 28.80 51.76 35.91 1.85 14.00 99.14 98.90 99.61 98.54 99.46 98.82 99.96 99.38 Reasons for Off-Grade: Resin: Dispersion: high Severs Compound: Rigids - Color, haze, contamination. Flexibles - Color Record Purge,, Melt Index TEN 4718 HIGHLIGHTS OF MARCH, 1985 HEADCOUNT BURLINGTON SITE 1985 BUDGET 1985 APPROVED RESIN AREA Exempt 33 32 Non-Exempt 15 15 Hourly 112 112 Sub-Totals 160 159 COMPOUND AREA Exemp t 99 Non-Exempt Hourly 00 66 66 Sub-Totals 75 75 PERSONNEL Exempt Non-Exempt 11 22 Sub-Totals 3 3 ACCOUNTING Exempt Non-Exempt Sub-Totals 22 11 33 TOTALS 241 *Includes 5 employees on long-term disability of up to three months. 240 ATTACHMENT IV ACTUAL 32 15 113* 160 9 0 65 74 1 2 3 2 1 3 240 TEN 4719