A delivery of 2013 Chevy Malibu Eco sedans. Image: © GM Corp.
On March 31, an explosion at an Evonik Industries AG chemical plant halted production of a material called cyclododecatriene, which is used to create PA-12 resin. PA-12, in turn, is used for a wide variety of automotive applications, including the production of brake lines and fuel lines.
In the days before just-in-time manufacturing and economics, the crippling of one plant worldwide would hardly have been a big deal. Manufacturers would simply have gravitated towards another supplier, who in turn would have happily sold of his excess production while ramping up to make more product.
Only that’s not possible in this case. As Left Lane News (via Automotive News) reports, the largest Asian supplier of PA-12 resin is already at capacity, and can’t ramp up production beyond existing levels. The shortage in material, which will likely be ongoing until Evonik Industries can rebuild the damaged facility, will likely impact automotive production within the next few weeks.
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While other suppliers (like DuPont Automotive) are scrambling to come up with alternative products, they may or may not be a direct replacement for PA-12. If they’re not, and if the industry can’t source sufficient material from other suppliers, look for inventory shortages to hit the major automakers just in time for the summer buying season.
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
