Perstorp has lifted the force majeure notice it issued on April 9 for supply of pentaerythritol mono and related materials, having resolved production problems at its Plant C in Bruchhausen, Germany. Among the materials affected were two chemicals used in production of lubricants.
“The force majeure applied to direct customers of Perstorp Chemicals GmbH, but also to customers of other Perstorp entities purchasing products emanating from Bruchhausen,” the company stated in a May 10 press release. “Perstorp Chemicals GmbH has now been able to resume production of mentioned products and as a consequence hereof we can now withdraw the force majeure.”
Perstorp, based in Malmo, Sweden, declared force majeure in April following a pressure vessel leak that halted some operations at Plant C in Bruchhausen. The German subsidiary therefore could not produce and supply several different chemicals, including Pentaerythritol ICX and Voxtar.
Penta is an alcohol made of molecules with four equally reactive primary hydroxyl groups in a symmetrical structure. According to Perstorp’s website, this makes penta mono a desirable base polyol and building block for a variety of applications, like resins, synthetic lubricants and antioxidants.
Pentaerythritol ICX is another polyhydric alcohol used as a building block in lubricants, the company notes on its website. Voxtar is a renewable penta made from biobased acetaldehyde and biobased formaldehyde, in 40% and 100% renewable grades. According to Perstorp, it can replace penta in such applications as synthetic lubricants and printing inks. Perstorp was new to the penta market in 2015, having acquired its penta business from Japan’s Koei Chemical Co. Perstorp has three penta production sites in Sweden, Germany and the United States.