Advanced materials and specialty chemicals company Solvay is expecting its polyamides activities to be temporarily impacted by the severe drop in water levels along the Rhine river following the persistent heat and drought in Central Europe. Rhine begins in the southeastern Swiss Alps and empties into the North Sea flowing through the German Rhineland.

 

“The situation is affecting raw material supplies and is generating production losses of intermediates required for the company’s nylon and isocyanate chains,” Solvay said in a media statement.

 

Solvay expects that it may not be able to honour all confirmed orders for adiponitrile (ADN), hexamethylene diamine (HMD), nylon salt and adipic acid (AA) as well as certain polyamide (PA) resins, fibres and compounds over the coming days and weeks.

 

The company, however, added that it is doing its utmost to mitigate the effects of the extreme climate event on its deliveries.

 

Solvay, headquartered in Brussels with around 26,800 employees in 61 countries, recorded net sales of €10.1 billion in 2017. (RKS)