PA-12 Resin Shortage Helped by US Company
A solution might be in sight for automakers panicking over the PA-12 resin shortage caused by a March 31 explosion German company Evonik’s production plant.
Wichita, Kan.-based Invista Inc. is running full-steam ahead to produce Cyclododecatriene (CDT), a key ingredient in the resin widely used to manufacture auto parts like gas tanks and brake components. According to research firm IHS Chemical, Invista is the only U.S. company that produces CDT, making it a hot date for any manufacturer able to jump in bed.
“We’re doing what we can to fill the immediate need,” said Jodie Stutzman, manager of business and external communications at Invista. “The CDT operations we have are running hard, and we’re working to make available as much of the material as possible right now.”
Invista isn’t saying which companies it’s doing business with, but Ford, GM, Toyota and Volkswagen all got letters from the company according to a Bloomberg report.
There’s no word on how long Invista can try to fill the gap, but it’s clear that a PA-12 shortage is commanding industry attention after almost 200 executives gathered last Tuesday in a Detroit suburb to discuss the issue.
Evonik has also said it is working with suppliers to re-establish production, though information about a projected restart isn’t available yet.
[Source: Automotive News]
Luke is an energetic automotive journalist who spends his time covering industry news and crawling the internet for the latest breaking story. When he isn't in the office, Luke can be found obsessively browsing used car listings, drinking scotch at his favorite bar and dreaming of what to drive next, though the list grows a lot faster than his bank account. He's always on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> looking for a good car conversation. Find Luke on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> and <A title="Luke on Google+" href="http://plus.google.com/112531385961538774338?rel=author">Google+</A>.
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