German chemicals giant, Evonik Industries, says it is on track to restart production of its Nylon 12 resin at some point during the fourth quarter.
Evonik’s Marl plant was partially-destroyed in an explosion this April that killed two employees, leading suppliers around the world to urgently assess the fallout from the vital resin.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
Nylon 12 is used for coatings and connector applications in automotive fuel handling and brake systems, with Evonik offering several substitutes while the factory in North-Rhein Westphalia (NRW) is repaired.
“We still assume we can get operational in the fourth quarter – no exact date yet,” an Evonik spokeswoman told just-auto from Germany.
“We are in the work of repairing our factory – will get normal production at Marl in the fourth quarter. We offer substitutes that are Polyamide 10-10 and 10-12. They are acceptable – they are not the same but they are the best alternatives. We support our customers to be successful with these products.”
The blast prompted a frenetic round of activity from Tier 1 suppliers and OEMs around the world, while bodies such as the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) in the US convened a series of high-level workshops to address the situation.
Japanese supplier association, JAPIA, said it had alternative products to Nylon 12 with sufficient polyamide plastics production to meet demand.
North-Rhein Westphalia’s civil prosecutor is still examining the fatal explosion, but Evonik says it is not yet aware when his final report will be made available.
