Berkshire Hathaway acquisition of OxyChem transfers ownership of Ludington plant

The Merideth Ashton tug and Robert F. Deegan barge approach the Ludington OxyChem dock Thursday night.

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief

LUDINGTON — A major corporate transaction involving Occidental Petroleum and Berkshire Hathaway has impacted ownership of the OxyChem plant in Ludington, though no local operational changes have been announced.

Occidental announced Jan. 2 that it had completed the $9.7 billion sale of its chemical business, OxyChem, to Berkshire Hathaway. The deal is part of Occidental’s broader strategy to reduce debt and refocus on its oil and gas operations.

While the announcement did not reference specific facilities, OxyChem operates a major manufacturing plant in Ludington, meaning ownership of that facility has effectively transferred to Berkshire Hathaway as part of the transaction.

The Ludington plant produces calcium chloride using naturally occurring brine resources. The facility has been a longstanding part of the local industrial base, with origins dating back to World War II-era magnesium production. OxyChem purchased the Ludington plant from Dow Chemical in 2009.

In an announcement from the company, Occidental stated that certain legacy environmental and legal liabilities tied to past operations will remain with an Occidental subsidiary, rather than transferring with the sale. The company noted that remediation responsibilities at designated sites will continue under its oversight for years to come.

No public statements have indicated changes to employment, production, or day-to-day operations at the Ludington facility as a result of the ownership change.

Berkshire Hathaway, led by investor Warren Buffett, owns a diverse portfolio of industrial, energy and manufacturing businesses. The acquisition places OxyChem among its subsidiaries, expanding its footprint in the chemical manufacturing sector.

________________________________

Please Support Local News and Sports Coverage

Receive daily MCP and OCP news briefings along with email news alerts for $10 a month. Your contribution will help us to continue to provide you with free local news. 

The payment can be paid monthly through PayPal: Click this link.

To sign up for an annual subscription, email editor@mediagroup31.com. In the subject line write: Subscription. Please supply your name, email address, mailing address, and phone number (indicate cell phone). We will not share your information with any outside sources.

For more than one email address in a household, the cost is $15 per month per email address.

We can send you an invoice for a yearly payment of $120, which you can conveniently pay online or by check. If you are interested in this method, please email editor@mediagroup31.com and we can sign you up. You can also mail a yearly check for $120 to Media Group 31, PO Box 21, Scottville, MI 49454 (please include your email address).

Payment must be made in advance prior to subscription activation.

We appreciate all our readers regardless of whether they choose to continue to access our service for free or with a monthly financial support.

_____

This story and original photography are copyrighted © 2026, all rights reserved by Media Group 31, LLC, PO Box 21, Scottville, MI 49454. No portion of this story or images may be reproduced in any way, including print or broadcast, without expressed written consent.

As the services of Media Group 31, LLC are news services, the information posted within the sites are archivable for public record and historical posterity. For this reason it is the policy and practice of this company to not delete postings. It is the editor’s discretion to update or edit a story when/if new information becomes available. This may be done by editing the posted story or posting a new “follow-up” story. Media Group 31, LLC or any of its agents have the right to make any changes to this policy. Refer to Use Policy for more information.