BASF Working to Limit Supply Restrictions After Declaring Force Majeure Last Week

24 Mar 2014 --- BASF said it is striving to limit the supply restrictions to the “smallest extent possible”, following its announcement last week that it had been forced to declare Force Majeure on its citral plant in Ludwigshafen, Germany. The company had to make the declaration for citral-based aroma chemicals as well as Vitamin A and Vitamin E products for human and animal nutrition, following a fire which broke out on March 12 this year.

“We are trying to minimize all possible negative effects our customers might experience due to the current situation,” Michael Ceranski, Senior Vice President, told FoodIngredientsFirst. “We will provide our customers with updated information on our supply capability.”

The event is likely to lead to a shutdown period of at least four weeks, the company said, and the resulting effects are currently being evaluated. Meanwhile, BASF is implementing measures to limit the consequences of the situation.

The Force Majeure situation is not related to any product safety or quality issues, the company said.
BASF will continuously inform customers about the development and the details regarding our supply capability with the affected products.

BASF’s Nutrition & Health division develops, produces and markets a comprehensive range of products and services for the human and animal nutrition, pharmaceutical as well as flavor and fragrance industries. The division strives to contribute to a better life through improving the nutrition, health and wellbeing of people across the world. Important human nutrition products include vitamins and carotenoids, plant sterols, emulsifiers and omega-3 fatty acids.

Its feed additives such as vitamins, carotenoids, enzymes and organic acids make Nutrition & Health a worldwide leader for the animal nutrition market. The division provides the pharmaceutical industry with active ingredients such as caffeine and ibuprofen, as well as excipients and custom synthesis services. Furthermore, it produces aroma ingredients such as citral, geraniol and L-menthol for the flavor and fragrance industry.
 
By Sonya Hook