Hercules Chemical Plant

Plaquemine, LA

Jobsite

Hercules, Inc. constructed a methanol plant in 1968 in Plaquemine, LA.  In 1976, Hercules joined operations with American Petrofina and the plant was renamed Hercofina.  In the late 1970s, Ashland Oil, Inc., purchased the site.  The plant was closed in the late 1990s and the property was sold to Shintech.  

Address or general location

26270 LA-405

Plaquemine LA  70764

Detail

The Japanese PVC company, Shintech, is currently located on what had previously been a large methanol plant owned by Hercules, Inc.  In 1968, Hercules completed the construction of their 80-million gallon methanol plant.   A few years later, the plant became part of a joint venture between Hercules and American Petrofina and was renamed Hercofina.  Shortly thereafter, Hercofina sold its operations to Ashland Oil, Inc.  Rumors began to circulate in 1999 that Ashland was planning on closing the plant.  Eventually, the plant did close and the property was purchased by the Japanese PVC manufacturer, Shintech, which constructed a $1-billion PVC complex at the location.