Below is a copy of a letter issued by 3M™ about its closing of multiple plants that were big producers of VHB™ tapes.
November 15, 2021
IMPORTANT: Supply Disruption – Force Majeure/Commercial Impracticability
Dear Valued Customer:
On October 29, 2021, Flemish environmental authorities imposed new safety measures on the 3M facility located in Zwijndrecht, Belgium. This order caused 3M to immediately suspend some manufacturing operations. Although we quickly filed a request to suspend the safety measures, on November 5, 2021, that request was denied. This regulatory action was unexpected, given that we have been operating in compliance with a permit reissued most recently in 2020. Our operations in Belgium are an important part of our global manufacturing process, and due to this restriction, we anticipate an interruption of supply of the products listed in the attached exhibit. As a further result of these actions, we have been forced to declare the occurrence of a force majeure event and/or impracticability of performance.
In the interest of proactively sharing this information with you, we are alerting you to the likelihood of upcoming supply disruptions. We are currently analyzing availability of products and possible allocations and will provide as much detail as possible as soon as the information is available. Please be aware that any future orders of product may not be available for shipment regardless of any automated order acknowledgment.
We are disappointed by this unexpected turn of events, and we dispute the purported factual and legal basis for issuing this new safety measure. We have begun contingency planning with respect to future production and are evaluating all available options to minimize potential customer impact. We value our relationship with you and appreciate your patience as we work through these challenges. We will update you as we learn more.
We apologize for any inconvenience that this situation may cause and appreciate your continued support of 3M products and services. If you have any questions, please reach out to your local sales team.
Sincerely,
Chad Carney
Vice President IATD – US and Canada
3MTM VHBTM Tape Product Families:
4941 Family
o 4926;4936;4941;4956;4991Commercial Vehicle Tapes
o CV45F;CV62F;CV90FArchitectural Panel Tapes
o G11;G16;G90;B11;B16;B90Window Tapes o B45;G45
Structural Bonding and Glazing Tape o G23F;B23F
RP Family
o RP16;RP25;RP32;RP45;RP624622 Family
o 4618;4622;46244951 Family
o 4943F;4957FExtreme Sealing Tape
o 4411B; 4411G; 4411N; 4412N; 4412G
• 3MTM VHBTM Tapes 4929 and 4949 3MTM Dual Lock Products:
• SJ3550 • SJ3551 • SJ3552
EXHIBIT PRODUCT LIST