Throughout the last year, the business has had more challenges than I’ve come across during my thirty years experience. In the past I have seen sharp price increases, and I have experienced several shortages, and delivery delays caused by material allocations coming from resin suppliers. This is actually the first instance I have seen all these issues at one time.
Polytetraflouroethylene (TFE) and Kynar both are on allocation.
Both of these resins are in short supply. The PTFE Sheet product PTFE (TFE) along with Kynar manufacturing requires a mineral called Fluorspar which is mined in Mongolia and China. The world interest in this mineral has increased significantly, along with the supply has tightened. PTFE materials have high heat resistance, excellent chemical resistance and extremely low co-efficient of friction (slippery) and is utilized in a lot of purposes from non-stick fry pans to ptfe tape for use at home. This mineral is a critical raw materials inside the manufacturing of fluoropolymers, fluorolubricants and many refrigerants.This rise in demand coupled with shortage of raw materials is mainly responsible for a dramatic price increase (almost double within the past year), shortages, and we expect both these factors to keep at it in the near future.
