US chlor-alkali plants operated at 81% of capacity in March, the lowest rate since October's level of 79%, data released Wednesday by the Chlorine Institute showed.
The operating rate was down two percentage points from February.
The trade association said US chlor-alkali producers last month made 811,832 st of liquid chlorine, 971,229 st of chlorine gas and 1,018,442 st of liquid sodium hydroxide.
The monthly production corresponds to daily rates of 26,188 st/d of liquid chlorine, 31,330 st/d of chlorine gas and 32,853 st/d of sodium hydroxide, it added.
In March 2013, operating rates were at 91%, while daily production rates were 26,924 st/d of liquid chlorine, 33,653 st/d of chlorine gas and 35,092 st/d of sodium hydroxide, the group's data shows.
Companies reporting monthly data to the Chlorine Institute account for 93% of US capacity.
