The titanium dioxide plant was badly damaged during Hurricane Katrina. Now fully operational after months of intensive reconstruction, the plant is running at near-capacity rates. Stringent DuPont construction and engineering standards helped the site avoid substantial structural damage, and its environmental systems remained intact during the storm's assault. However, most of its electronic and computer systems were destroyed due to water damage.

Shortly after assessing storm damage to the plant in late August, DuPont declared to its customers that a force majeure event had occurred, preventing and excusing DuPont from performing its obligations under supply contracts. DuPont announced on April 20 that the force majeure declaration would be lifted immediately.

"Although we are lifting our force majeure declaration, we are still in the process of filling our global supply lines," said Rick Olson, vice president and general manager, DuPont Titanium Technologies. "For that reason, product availability may be limited in some regions by delays in restoring normal inventory levels." DuPont is the world's largest manufacturer of titanium dioxide pigment.

See www.titanium.dupont.com/ for more information.