Contact Us Route 63 Piffard, New York 14533 Phone: 585.243.0330 Fax: 585.243.2649

Our Products and Markets

The Geneseo plant produces liquid organic peroxides that are used primarily in the production of acrylics, elastomers, LDPE (low density polyethylene), polyesters, polystyrene and PVC (polyvinyl chloride). Many products that we encounter daily, from automobile components to food packaging, owe their existence to the chemicals produced at the Geneseo plant.

Boats, tubs and spas are cured by peroxides made at Geneseo.

One of our products makes plastic furniture more easily processed into shape. Another is used in the manufacture of kitchen counter tops.

Our plant also produces peroxydicarbonates used to make PVC. PVC is then used in turn to make many familiar products, such as vinyl siding and plastic piping.

The Geneseo plant also produces a variety of benzoyl peroxides, used in flour bleaching, acne medication and polystyrene (some of which becomes expandable polystyrene).

We celebrated our 50th anniversary in 2003 by renewing our commitment to excellence in all areas of plant operations.

The Geneseo employees take pride in making quality products. The Geneseo plant has maintained ISO 9002 certification since January 1995. This standard requires ongoing improvement in our quality systems. Our environmental performance is a source of great pride.

We are also very pleased to have been awarded the Division I President's Safety Award in 2002 for safety excellence.

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Our History

Arkema Inc.'s Geneseo, New York, facility (formerly Atofina Chemicals, Inc.) began operations in 1953. It was built by the Lucidol Division of Wallace and Tiernan Corporation. A 1969 merger with the Pennsalt Chemicals Corporation resulted in a name change to Pennwalt Corporation. Pennwalt was acquired by Elf Aquitaine in 1989 and the plant became part of Elf Atochem North America, Inc. The chemical operations of the parent company were renamed Atofina in 2000 following a merger between Elf Aquitaine and TotalFina.

Throughout our history, the plant has been a vital contributor to the Livingston County economy. We support the local communities through our salaries and wages. The plant also pays more than $225,000 in taxes annually and actively donates to local charities and other organizations. See our Community Involvement section for more detail.

Our Location

Our Geneseo plant is located in central Livingston County, less than an hour from the city of Rochester's central business district and the Rochester International Airport. With a reputation as a growing high tech industrial area and scenic treasure, Livingston County also supports the SUNY Geneseo college community of over 5,000 students. The historic valley of the Genesee River, highlighted by nearby Letchworth State Park, is a rich source of wildlife and natural resources. The author of the Pledge of Allegiance, Francis Bellamy, was born within 10 miles of the Geneseo plant site.

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Commitment to Safety and the Environment

Throughout the production and distribution process, our plant keeps safety and environmental protection in the forefront. Employees from all areas of the plant become involved in safety and environmental discussions and are responsible for our excellent safety and environmental performance.

We were pleased to have been awarded the Division I President’s Safety Award in 2002 for safety excellence. We continue to work hard to achieve an injury-free safety culture.

Arkema extends our concern for safety to our community. We are a charter member of the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), and have conducted plant tours and safety training with members of the local fire department and Emergency Medical Service.

Arkema also takes pride in our commitment to reduce wastes and maintain the environment for our families, our community and ourselves. We are dedicated to continuous reduction of waste, and are implementing several recycling and waste reduction plans.

In addition, our on-site wastewater treatment system exemplifies our commitment to continuous environmental improvement. The system consists of primary clarification, aerobic biological treatment, and supplemental membrane filtration for final wastewater polishing. This advanced technology part of the system cost the plant over $5 million.

The New York Water Environment Association awarded the Geneseo plant’s wastewater treatment system with its Pollution Prevention Award. We are proud to have received other awards from the NYWEA, most recently the Gold Award in 2004, for excellent performance in 2003 meeting our wastewater discharge permit requirements.

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. Our plant fully supports all elements of Responsible Care^®.

Responsible Care^® is a registered trademark of the American Chemistry Council.

Arkema has established a Community Advisory Panel (CAP) consisting of local residents, community leaders and plant employees. The CAP serves as a forum to inform the community about Atofina Chemicals and addresses any questions or concerns our neighbors may have. Because of its broad cross section of local citizens, the CAP is another good source of information about the plant for the community.

Arkema is extensively involved in numerous community and business organizations, including the local Chamber of Commerce, the Livingston County Environmental Management Council and the United Way. In June 2004, we were pleased to be able to contribute to two worthwhile causes recommended by our Community Advisory Panel:

• A $2,000 grant to the York Central School District to help fund a pre-kindergarten program.
• A $2,000 grant to the Town of York to fund refurbishment of a local playground

Also, in 2000, the plant contributed $12,500 to the Retsof Fire Department to help purchase new firefighting equipment.

Our involvement in the education and youth programs includes supporting local sports teams, sponsoring the York Field Days Kiddie Arcade in July, and providing summer science workshops for local elementary science teachers through the Arkema Science Teacher Program.

Through participation in the Livingston County BEA (Business Education Alliance), the Geneseo plant earned the School House Award in 2003 for involvement in the School-to-Work Program. We make an additional investment in the future by providing college scholarships for students from area high schools and hiring employees' college-age children as summer interns in various departments.

Plant tours are offered to students. In addition, we invite our neighbors to open houses approximately every five years. We participate in highway cleanups and during the last four years we have published a quarterly newsletter for internal and external distribution.

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