Japan's Nippon Shokubai Tuesday posted a consolidated net loss of Yen 6.57 billion ($82 million) for April-September, compared with a profit of Yen 12.27 billion a year earlier.
Its revenue dropped 8.9% from a year earlier to Yen 149.31 billion, while its operating profit plunged 45.5% year on year to Yen 9.85 billion, the company said in a statement.
The impact from a fire and explosion at its Himeji plant was not included for April-September earnings.
Nippon Shokubai shut its entire complex in Himeji, western Japan, on September 29, following a massive explosion at an acrylic acid tank which killed one firefighter and injured more than 30 people. The cause of the accident is still under investigation.
On November 1, the company received approval to restart its steam boilers and waste water treatment plant at the complex but all production units remain shut. The complex is the company's key acrylic acid production site with a total production capacity of 460,000 mt/year. Acrylic acid is used for super absorbent polymer, or SAP, which is used for diapers.
The company's basic chemicals segment posted an operating profit of Yen 3.83 billion, down 57.4% from a year earlier, hit by bearish sales of acrylic acid and monoethylene glycol.
For fiscal 2012-13, the company did not announce its earnings forecasts as it said the impact from the shutdown of its Himeji complex was still unclear. On May 8, the company had forecast a net profit of Yen 19.5 billion, revenue of Yen 330 billion and operating profit of Yen 25 billion for fiscal 2012-13.
