After an April 8 explosion injured 11 employees and closed Northborough-based manufacturer Aspen Aerogels’ facility in East Providence, the company has partially reopened the site.
Following operational and safety reviews, the company has begun a staged restart of manufacturing operations at its plant at 3 Dexter Road, according to a Friday company announcement.
Two days after the explosion, the Rhode Island Office of the State Fire Marshal determined it was an accident caused by an accumulation of ethanol vapors in one of Aspen’s drying ovens.
The company said in a May 7 announcement no employees were seriously injured.
The Friday announcement said returning the facility to full operations will take some time. It did not offer a timeframe for the site’s complete reopening.
Aspen is dealing with hurdles beyond the impact of the fire; the company released its financial results for its first quarter on May 7, showing quarterly revenue of $37.9 million, down from $78.7 million in the prior year period.
Focused on aerogel-based insulation and thermal barrier materials used mainly to improve the safety and energy efficiency of electric vehicles and energy infrastructure, the company has been hit hard by a drop in electric vehicle production. Aspen had a $390-million net loss in 2025.
Eric Casey is the managing editor at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the real estate and banking & finance industries.
