Abstract
There are many thoughtful, valid, and institutionalized barriers for adopting “new” materials in production. Examples include structural engineering analysis of components and subsystems, plant trials, dimensional characterization, mechanical and physical testing, changing engineering prints and manufacturing bills of materials, adding suppliers to computerized procurement systems, and quality audits of suppliers to name just a few. In 2020 and 2021, a wave of force majeure actions in the materials industry wreaked havoc with manufacturing supply chains, and, consequently, some materials were just not available for production. This article will address, from a typical materials’ customer perspective, this “crisis” situation and will provide two case histories of how sustainable materials provided long-term supply chain alternatives to historic materials. These sustainable materials resulted in high-quality parts, diversified the supply chain, and kept manufacturing lines running to the benefit of the employees, shareholders, and communities where these manufacturing facilities reside, and our environment.
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Source: Celanese Corporation external data.
Source: Celanese Corporation external data.
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Anderson, K.R., Mallek, J., Gathright, M. et al. How the implications of force majeure resulted in the adoption of more sustainable materials. MRS Bulletin 48, 386–393 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1557/s43577-023-00533-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/s43577-023-00533-4