Notice on Disruptions

Last update: Jan 22nd · 10:46 UTC (2024-12-21 12:17 UTC)

Overview

Impacted Product / Service Comment
🟢 - Processing Currently no issue/impact on global processing
🟢 - Production Currently no issue/impact on global production
​🟠 - Logistics Shipments through the Suez Canal delayed/rerouted
🟢 - IT/Services Currently no issue/impact on global operations

Updates will be posted to this page: https://kautschuk.com/status.

Current Bulletins

Suez Canal shipments

Updated: 2023-12-22 · Ticket #1759

Currently vessels transiting the Suez Canal are under threat of militant attacks. Some carriers already decided to avoid this dangerous route and switch over to the much longer route around Cape of Good Hope. We expect additional 3 weeks transit time for all shipments between Asia and Europe. We also expect freight rates to increase.

Please be aware that already confirmed shipping schedules may be delayed due to this unforeseen development. We will monitor the situation and send updates as they become available. If you have questions regarding a shipment that is currently underway, please contact your Kautschuk-Group order processing representative or send an inquiry to [email protected].

FAQs

What is Kautschuk-Group's supply chain policy regarding outages?

Kautschuk-Group manufactures most products redundantly in Europe and in China. In theory, this minimizes disruptions due to local outages and enables a smoother global coverage. The conditions of raw materials supplies for product synthesis vary by product. While we generally aim to keep at least one full month's worth of raw materials on hand, there are some substances that are manufactured on a just-in-time (JIT) model. Regarding final products sold to our customers, we generally have at least one full month of projected demand in stock, unless customer-specific agreements stipulate that the product should be shipped directly to the customer after production. In the latter case, outage impacts will obviously be felt immediately. In all other cases where we supply customers from stock, disruptions may occur after a month of sustained outages.

Does Kautschuk-Group have a disaster recovery plan?

Kautschuk-Group has separate disaster recovery plans in place for our offices and manufacturing plants, aimed at minimizing customer impact and enabling a timely continuation of operations after an event. Disaster recovery procedures reflect local circumstances and are subject to regular audits.

Does Kautschuk-Group have a business contingency plan?

In situations where the safety of our employees is at stake, such as epidemics or political instability, our general policy is to close local operations until the situation improves. Kautschuk-Group can sustain global operations with minimal disruptions if any one single office is out of commission. Regarding most but not all products, if any one production site is impacted by an outage, another plant is configured as a designated fail-over site and will be able to continue production. However, shortages in raw materials and logistics can still impact supply quantities and time tables, irregardless of any contingency plans.