Contact Us 18000 Crosby Eastgate Road Crosby, Texas 77532 Phone: 281.328.3561/800.526.5544 Fax: 281.328.4052

Safety & Loss Control Policy

Our Products and Markets

The Crosby plant produces liquid organic peroxides that are used primarily in the production of plastic resins, polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, PVC and polyester reinforced fiberglass, and acrylic resins. Many consumer products that we use everyday, ranging from automobiles and food packaging to health and cleaning products, owe their beginnings to organic peroxides. Here are some examples:

• Our peroxides are part of every FDA approved eye dropper bottle on the market.
• Chevrolet Corvettes^® are made using one of our products, t-butyl perbenzoate.
• Automotive coatings and paints are made utilizing our t-butyl peresters and t-amyl perketals.
• Our t-amyl perester products are used to manufacture trash bags and plastic jugs.
• t-Butyl peroctoate is used in the manufacture of many food packages and golf ball covers. Lup 231 is a key component in many major brands of golf balls.
• Waxes, candles, floor polishes and lipstick all include a Crosby-made chemical, di-t-butyl peroxide.
• Disposable plastic drinking cups and eating utensils are made using t-butyl perketals.

The Crosby employees take pride in making quality products. Since 1995, the Crosby Plant quality process has been certified to the International Standards Organization. In 2004 we were re-certified to the new ISO 9001:2000 standard.

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Our History

The plant in Crosby, Texas, began operations in 1966 and joined the Arkema team (formerly Atofina Chemicals, Inc.) in 1989. The plant has grown steadily with major expansions completed in 1979, 1994 and 1999. Throughout our history, the plant has been an important contributor to the Houston-area economy.

As part of Arkema, the Crosby plant plays a key role in a business that reaches throughout the world. Atofina Chemicals, Inc. was formed in mid-2000 as a result of the merger between TotalFina and Elf Aquitaine (Elf Atochem's parent company). Arkema produces high performance chemicals and polymers.

Our Location

Our Crosby plant is located in northeast Harris County, less than an hour from each of Houston's two major airports, and within an hour of Houston's central business district. Harris County has a number of major industries, all drawn to the area by its proximity to transportation, including major highways, extensive rail lines and the Port of Houston, one of the country's largest and busiest seaports. We're a part of the East Harris County Manufacturer's Association, an organization of 88 plants that are located within an approximately 200 square mile area.

Our Area

Crosby, originally an encampment known as Lick Skillet, was founded in 1823 by Humphrey Jackson, one of the 300 original colonists to settle Texas. Legend says East Texas oxen team drivers sipped the spring sweet water and licked their skillets clean. Jackson received a league (4,428 acres) and labor (177 acres) of land and settled near the spring, now known as Jackson Bayou.

Life began to change in Crosby in 1861 when the railroad brought the world to town. As track was laid, Crosby received its new name after G.J. Crosby, an employee of Sabine and Galveston Bay Railroad & Lumber Company.

Crosby began to grow after the railroad arrived. The first general store was built in 1864. The area was plotted and subdivided in 1903, with telephone service coming to the area in 1910. Cotton, rice and corn were the crops of the day, and Crosby boasted four cotton gins that operated around the clock. In 1915, while the Texas oil boom was getting underway, severe weather destroyed the local crops and seriously damaged the farm-based economy. Many found employment in the Goose Creek and Pelly (Humble, and later Exxon) oil fields.

Today, Crosby's labor pool is diverse and boasts everything from family-owned businesses to global-wide manufacturing.

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Commitment to Safety and the Environment

Throughout the production and distribution process, our plant keeps safety and environmental protection at the forefront. We're proud of the fact that in March of 2004, our plant celebrated 21 years without an employee lost-time injury and more than 4 million safe man-hours. An active safety team, made up of employees from all areas of the plant, is responsible for providing safety direction, recommendations and guidance for the improvement of the overall health and safety process.

Arkema extends our concern for safety to our community. We have offered safety training and access to training equipment to members of the local fire department.

Our plant also has a strong commitment to reduce waste and maintain the environment for our families, our community and ourselves. We are a member of Clean Texas Program, a cooperative initiative with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to reduce waste and participate in community environmental activities. As part of that commitment, our improved Wastewater Treatment Facility began operation in July of 1997. The thermal oxidizers air pollution control equipment at the Crosby plant uses state of the art technology, meeting the US EPA criteria for best available control technology (BACT). Phase I of the air emissions project was completed in 1999 with the installation of a Thermal Oxidizer and scrubbers dedicated to the Multi-Purpose Unit (MPU). Phase II, with a Thermal Oxidizer and scrubbers devoted to the Batch Processing Unit (BPU), was completed in 2002. Use of the two thermal oxidizers considerably reduces emissions from the facility, allowing the plant to achieve greater than 99.5% destruction of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds), while scrubbers remove 99+% of SO₂ and acid gases.

Arkema is also part of Responsible Care^®, an industry-wide initiative among members of the American Chemistry Council. Through Responsible Care, our industry demonstrates its continuing commitment to health, safety and the environment. As part of our Responsible Care^® initiative, the Crosby plant created an innovative program for customers to return empty organic peroxide containers for recycling. The containers are cleaned and granulated into a marketable HDPE resin that can be sold on the open market. This program reduces landfill use and the associated fees, and also shows our customers and the community that Arkema is committed to environmental protection and sustainable development.

A comprehensive plant security audit was performed and improvement activities have been completed to meet Responsible Care^® security improvement targets.

The Crosby plant is a winner of the Texas Chemical Council’s “Caring for Texas” award, acknowledging the plant’s safety and environmental performance and its commitment to its neighbors.

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Community Involvement

Arkema is involved in a number of community and business organizations, including the Crosby/Huffman Chamber of Commerce, volunteer fire departments, the local Emergency Medical Service, the Crosby Fair and Rodeo Association and numerous charitable fundraising efforts. We also belong to the Texas Chemical Council and the East Harris County Manufacturer's Association (EHCMA) and are an active participant in EHCMA's household hazardous waste collection program, as well as the annual Trash Bash program sponsored by the Harris County Pollution Control Department.

We were proud to be able to contribute to the new Crosby Volunteer Fire Department’s new station in 2003 through the donation of 2 acres of land. This has reduced response time while also lowering many residents’ insurance rates.

Education and children's programs are an important part of our community outreach. These include Little League, scouting, soccer clubs, basketball leagues, 4H, Future Farmers of America, Junior Achievement, and other school endorsed programs.

We're making an additional investment in the future by hosting an annual Science Teacher Program for local teachers sponsored by the Arkema Inc. Foundation. The Crosby plant also has in place a summer work program for college bound students Employee volunteers also take part in local high school career day events each year.

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First Call

Neighbors of the plant are encouraged to register their information with FirstCall Interactive Network, a computerized telephone emergency notification service that allows us to notify the public, local authorities, and/or emergency responders in the event of an emergency at the plant that may have potential off-site consequences. FirstCall is user-friendly: activation occurs via a 24-hour manned hotline or through a secure website. FirstCall is designed to reach households within a several mile radius of the plant and will provide specific instructions or information as required. FirstCall is endorsed by the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC).

Working hand-in-hand with the members of our community plays a vital role in our relationship with our neighbors.

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Press Coverage

December 21, 2007 - Proposed evolution of Arkema's Crosby site (Texas)

March 29, 2005 - Arkema Inc. Crosby, Texas, Plant Celebrates Twenty-Two Years of Safe Work

March 16, 2004 - ATOFINA Chemicals, Inc. Crosby, Texas, Plant Celebrates Twenty-One Years of Safe Work

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