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.
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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.
