A March accident at its plant in Singapore killed one worker and forced operations at the facility to cut back for months. In August, the company issued a force majeure declaration, saying it could not meet contractual obligations because of increased demand and tight supply for raw materials. Then its primary North American plant, in Belle Chasse, La., shut down for a month because of Hurricane Katrina.

Andy Tugendhat is a strong leader with a deep knowledge of the additives business and the high aptitude to develop and execute strategy using excellent process-oriented skills, President Ron Kiskis said. These attributes make him ideal for this particular position at a critical time when Oronite and the industry are recovering from a challenging 2005. In his new role, Andy will be key in our ongoing effort to reestablish Oronite as an efficient and reliable supplier providing a high level of customer satisfaction.

Tugendhat joined Oronite 13 years ago and served most recently as vice president of products and technology. That position has been filled by Jirong Xiao, who held a post in global marketing.

Oronite is a subsidiary of Chevron Corp. and is based in San Ramon, Calif.