A recent fire at BASF’s Ludwigshafen facility in Germany has prompted the company to declare Force Majeure on the supply of certain vitamin A, vitamin E, carotenoid products, and selected aroma ingredients. The affected aroma ingredients include Ionones, Pyranol, DL-Menthol, Rose Oxides, Ethyllinalool, Nerolidol, and Isophytol R. This declaration is effective immediately and will remain in place until further notice.

The fire, which occurred on July 29, 2024, impacted a section of the plant responsible for producing aroma ingredients and precursors essential for the manufacturing of vitamin A, vitamin E, and carotenoids. Fortunately, all employees who sustained minor injuries were able to leave the BASF Medical Center on the day of the incident. Importantly, there were no detected contaminations of air, water, or soil. Environmental monitoring both within and around the site confirmed the absence of any product residues.

The plant has been shut down for cleaning, inspection, and repair work, which is currently underway. BASF is actively communicating with its customers to keep them informed about the situation and the potential impacts on supply capabilities.

Given the critical nature of these ingredients in various industries, this Force Majeure declaration is likely to have a significant ripple effect across the global supply chain. Stakeholders are advised to closely monitor the situation and adjust their sourcing strategies accordingly.

Source: BASF