Chipboard production back on track
+++ Germersheim, November 07, 2018 – Easing of situation at Nolte Holzwerkstoff: The Germersheim-based chipboard manufacturer has secured the glue supply for its production for the coming weeks and months. Suppliers from Belgium, Poland, Austria and Hungary compensate for the lack of glue due to the low water levels in the Rhine and ensure the continued production of chipboard.
After a short interruption of chipboard production due to glue shortfalls at the beginning of the week, there is now good news. "The talks with alternative glue manufacturers were concluded positively so that our glue supply is secured over the long term," says Alexander Kolb, Managing Director of Nolte Holzwerkstoff. "We can therefore guarantee a continuous supply of chipboard to our customers." Nolte Holzwerkstoff incurs considerable additional costs due to the additional transport costs incurred by procurement from abroad. "We accept these additional costs in order to be able to keep our promised delivery deadlines," says Kolb. “The supply of the necessary glues to our production on the one hand and the punctual supply of chipboard to our customers on the other hand are thus constantly guaranteed for the coming weeks and months – regardless of how the Rhine water situation develops."
Background: Low water levels also affect Nolte HWS
Since BASF in Ludwigshafen had to reduce its glue production due to the low water levels in the Rhine, Nolte Holzwerkstoff was also directly affected by the Rhine level – the Ludwigshafen-based BASF plant is the main glue supplier for the chipboard manufacturer. The quantities of glue supplied by BASF were not sufficient to continue production at the previous manufacturing level, which then resulted in a short-term interruption from November 3 - 6. As the Rhine level is not expected to rise sharply in the near future, Nolte Holzwerkstoff has increasingly sought out alternative procurement opportunities. Thanks to a healthy inventory at the Germersheim family business premises, there were no negative effects for its customers.
About Nolte Holzwerkstoff
As the oldest active chipboard manufacturer in the world, Nolte Holzwerkstoff has over 65 years of experience in the industrial manufacture of chipboard panels that are known and respected by industry and trade throughout Europe. The first chipboard was produced by Nolte Holzwerkstoff in 1951 in Rheda-Wiedenbrück, Germany. The company has been headquartered in the Rhineland-Palatinate town of Germersheim since 1973. Nolte Holzwerkstoff develops and produces chipboard under the brand name "Rheinspan" for many diverse customer requirements. The family-owned company is now in its fourth generation of management and its production is not restricted to certain standard dimensions, rather, it is flexible in regards to both dimensions and cuts. Working jointly with customers in this way, tailor-made special solutions can be developed. At this time, the Nolte Holzwerkstoff plant site in Germersheim employs approximately 200 workers.
