Rouen Updates

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An Update from Lubrizol France President Isabelle Striga

September 18, 2020

One year has passed since the September 26, 2019 fire that impacted Lubrizol Rouen, our neighbor NL Logistique and the surrounding population. This date will forever be a part of our collective history. The company and its employees have done everything possible to meet the challenges imposed by the situation, and we wish to continue to move forward.

Thanks to resilience of our teams, the support of our Lubrizol colleagues, and the confidence of our partners and customers, we have taken the following actions:

  • Our teams and partner suppliers have done a remarkable job ensuring the impacted area of the site has been thoroughly cleaned. Part of this area will be redesigned and turned into a green space, as part of Lubrizol’s commitment to sustainability

  • Safety has always been and will remain a priority for our company. Since the fire, we have installed additional state-of-the-art equipment for fire detection and suppression well past what is required by regulation. We have also reorganized our logistics by shipping materials to our Rouen plant only as we need them and move finished products off site, representing an 80% reduction in materials stored in drums at the site.

  • Following the fire, without waiting for responsibility to be determined, we quickly mobilized support funds for approximately 2,000 area farmers and businesses. This funding mechanism has been recognized as innovative and leveraged as a best practice on numerous occasions.

  • We also supported environmental and health studies. More than 265,000 test results by nearly 40 reputable and independent laboratories and organizations affirmed there are no hazards tied to the fire.

Lubrizol is and will remain a key economic player in the region. Thanks to the partial resumption of production, we will continue to support jobs that depend on our site. Our additive manufacturing business was described as indispensable during the COVID-19 health crisis. Our team in Rouen is supporting new innovation, including new engine oil formulations to meet standards for advanced low-emission vehicles, and the company is also supporting innovation for hybrid and electric vehicles.  

As we move forward, we want to maintain a dialogue with the public and stakeholders by actively participating in transparency and dialogue committees, by continuing to convene our committee of residents (which we have been doing for 20 years), by meeting with community stakeholders and by providing updates through our newsletter and Allo Industry.

After this trying year, we want to move forward -- to work on innovative projects, together, for the greater good.

Isabelle Striga
President Lubrizol France