Chemical co. closing 2 Houston-area plants in move to cut costs, refine focus

Missouri-based Olin Corp. (NYSE: OLN) will close two Houston-area plants in a move that’s expected to cut operating costs by $35 million while adjusting production capacity to meet current demand.

The company is permanently closing two plants in Freeport: a 230,000-ton capacity chlor alkali plant and a vinylidene chloride plant. The closures are expected to be complete before the end of 2020, according to a Dec. 11 press release.

Olin, based in the St. Louis suburb of Clayton, is the world’s largest…