Supply Chain News: Viton® (FKM) Global Shortage

The availability of Viton®/FKM has been tightening since mid-2021 as a key ingredient used to manufacture the compound has been diverted to the manufacturing of Lithium batteries for Electric Vehicles (EV) and photovoltaic solar panels. Due to the rapid growth of these products, that tightening is becoming more acute as we enter 2022.

The key ingredient is R142b, and the accelerated demand of these products have consumed the majority of the world’s supply of it. In this chart, you can see the usage for R142b has jumped significantly over the last three months. The price for all items utilizing R142b are being impacted by these shortages.

Be assured we are working diligently with our suppliers to mitigate any impact to our o-ring inventory. As a customer of Global O-Ring and Seal, you can have confidence that we will be able to meet your Viton®/FKM o-ring requirements today and in the future.

If you have any questions, feel free to give us a call at 832-448-5550 or submit a contact form and our team will ensure you are taken care of!