Roehm declares force majeure (FM) on methyl methacrylate (MMA) because of a technical issue at its site in Worms, Germany, according to reliable sources.
The FM declaration means the company will probably be unable to meet all of its MMA deliveries in EMEA.
Meanwhile, this event will place more pressure on MMA prices.
MMA buyers have faced tight supply for months and expected more price increases in Q3.
In fact, even before this FM declaration spot MMA prices have remained above €3,000/mt in June in Europe.
Downstream PMMA buyers also expect increases in the third quarter and this latest event will likely place additional pressure.
PMMA prices like most polymers found support since the second half of 2020 on the back of strong demand and limited availability.
Roehm’s FM on MMA reinforces the view that the upside could remain in place in the second half of 2021 on both MMA and PMMA.
PMMA’s applications include automotive and transportation, construction, electronics and sanitary.
Most of the MMA is used to produce PMMA, but other important applications include paints and coatings.
Roehm is a global supplier of methacrylate chemicals, with headquarters in Darmstadt, Germany.