25 March 2021, Business Press – Translated from the original German 
Plant shutdowns in Europe and the U.S., as well as severely limited sea and land freight capacities, are currently greatly affecting the availability of raw materials for the German adhesives industry. The accident of the freighter "Ever Given" in the Suez Canal could further worsen the already tense situation.

With the current high demand for adhesives, the German adhesives industry is facing supply bottlenecks for key raw materials as well as specialty chemicals. This is triggered by the combination of the current increase in global demand for raw materials with simultaneous imbalances and delays in the global supply and logistics chain, as well as plant shutdowns at some European and U.S. chemical manufacturers. Even before the plant shutdowns, the availability of key raw materials was limited. The onset of winter in the southern states of the U.S. exacerbated the situation, as it led to the loss of a large part of U.S. refinery capacity as well as chemical production there.

The situation could now be further aggravated by the accident of the freighter "Ever Given". The Suez Canal is of great importance to world trade, with around 12% of total goods shipped through the waterway.

As a result of the events, the supply chains of the German adhesives industry have also been affected, even though orders remain firm. According to estimates by the German Adhesives Industry Association (IVK), it will take weeks to months before the supply chains are stabilised and delays in delivery are compensated for.

For more information, visit the original press release here or www.klebstoffe.com.