Table of Contents
We will not know the full ramifications of the Strait of Hormuz shipping restrictions for some time. Even once the strait is fully open, global specialty chemicals, formulated products, and advanced materials supply chains will struggle to normalize due to the sheer volume of petrochemicals and other feedstocks impacted by the bottleneck.
Of course, supply chain challenges have been top of mind for many years. The havoc initiated by the COVID-19 pandemic underscored the absolute necessity of having reliable secondary sources and replacement materials available to maintain production levels. Unfortunately, as we face this latest supply chain crisis, many companies still lack the internal resources – whether personnel, facilities, or equipment — to identify and fully vet replacement materials.
Technology Development Supports Supply Chain Resiliency
One of the initiatives I am most proud of during my 30-year tenure at ChemQuest is the creation of the ChemQuest Technology Institute (CQTI). Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, CQTI supports global clients ranging from suppliers and manufacturers to end users with designing, formulating, testing, accelerating, and scouting innovative technology.
When I launched CQTI, I realized our team was uniquely positioned to provide much-needed technology guidance to our clients who sought to launch new products, improve performance, or enter adjacent markets, among many other goals. What I couldn’t foresee at the time, but has certainly become apparent, would be the impact CQTI could have in simplifying clients’ supply chains.
Our unique team at CQTI has been instrumental in not only identifying acceptable replacement materials but developing new formulations and assessing the resulting impact on the clients’ overall processes, as well as the user experience. I’d like to share a couple of examples with you.
Composites Manufacturing
A manufacturer of materials used in the production of composites hoped to alleviate supply chain disruptions by changing the formulation of a range of its high-performance products. Since the client lacked the ability to evaluate the downstream impact of these changes on the end-user experience, they engaged CQTI for support.
Our team at CQTI began by replicating the end-user application process for a molded component. To assess the performance of the new materials under realistic conditions, the team recreated the end-to-end composite molding process. The client’s new formulation was incorporated into the molding process to create representative molded composite parts.
Following a series of performance tests, a scoring matrix was used to evaluate the impact the new formulation had on mold quality in comparison with the original formula’s performance. Ultimately, by producing real-world molded components and replicating the end-user process, CQTI demonstrated that the new formulation would produce unfavorable components. These findings enabled the client to reformulate and conduct additional testing, helping ensure continuity in product performance for existing customers and reducing the risk of negative user outcomes.
Structural Adhesives
In another example, an architectural products manufacturer reached out to CQTI when its overseas adhesive supplier could not keep pace with demand. This client lacked not only internal resources but also product specifications and historical testing data.
As a result, the CQTI team first established performance benchmarks for the client’s existing adhesive, designing a series of custom evaluation methods based on the adhesive’s required properties. Because conventional strength and durability tests did not accurately reflect the real-world application, CQTI also developed a bespoke test device to better assess adhesive failure modes.
With the benchmarking data in hand, our team next explored off-the-shelf alternatives by virtually screening adhesive chemistries and evaluating products from multiple potential suppliers. When none of the commercial options provided the necessary balance of properties, CQTI led a development effort to create custom formulations tailored to the client’s needs.
This process produced two alternative adhesive formulations that outperformed the original adhesive in strength, reliability, and overall product quality, along with a more flexible pump system to simplify the application process. The full story was highlighted in ASSEMBLY magazine, if you’d like to learn more.
From Strategy to R&D
The conflict with Iran is just the latest example of a major supply chain disruptor for specialty chemicals, formulated products, and advanced materials. Unfortunately, we will surely see others in the future. Whether supply chain challenges arise from geopolitical conflicts, disastrous weather events, or other unforeseen circumstances, the negative impact of limited production capacities, quality issues, and disgruntled customers can be far reaching and long lasting.
If your company is not equipped to explore alternative suppliers and materials on your own, I encourage you to reach out. Our team’s extensive knowledge of the relevant technologies and market dynamics — coupled with our unique ability to partner with you on R&D initiatives — can help you reduce risk and build flexibility into your supply chain.
How can we help you? Let’s start talking: https://chemquest.com/lets-start-talking/
