Surviving Supply Chain Shortages and Industrial Disasters with Corrosion Protection
December 10, 2025
Industrial catastrophes like the September fire at an aluminum plant in New York can leave industries reeling from temporary shutdowns due to raw material shortages. Political or economic issues can also leave assembly line workers stranded without the goods needed to complete their job. How can industries deal with unexpected interruptions and minimize major financial losses? A corrosion protection strategy is an important tool to help industries cut losses and survive emergency disruptions in the supply chain.
Prevent Rust on Assembly Line Parts
It is critical for automakers or other plants that assemble metal parts to protect corrosion-sensitive components in like-new condition until operations can restart. Even though raw material delays can seriously mar company profits, a worse scenario would be to get the supply chain up and running only to find that engines or car parts that were once ready to install are now rusty and unusable.
Keep These Two Materials on Hand for Quick Preservation
Cortec® VpCI®-126 bags and VpCI® emitters such as BioPad® make it easy to guard against interim corrosion. These packaging materials release Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitors that form a protective molecular layer on metal surfaces inside an enclosure. With the right dosage based on component size and storage environment, they can easily provide two years of protection, typically enough to see the parts through the supply chain shortage. The absence of greasy rust preventatives allows parts to be quickly taken out of the package and installed when operations start up again. For storage in non-climate-controlled warehouses or outdoors, a heavier-duty film such as VpCI®-126 HP UV Shrink Film may be desired.
Building a Bank of Critical Materials
Looking ahead, some manufacturers may want to build a bank of critical raw materials to buffer production in the event of an emergency shortage. Metal coils can be protected by spraying the edges with Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitors and wrapping them in VpCI® tubing. Electronic chips, which have already seen shortages in recent years, can be stockpiled and protected against both corrosion and static damage by packaging them in EcoSonic® VpCI®-125 HP Permanent ESD Bags. By keeping enough critical materials on hand to support production for several weeks or months, manufacturers can be more prepared to survive the unexpected with fewer losses.
Minimize the Damage of Industrial Catastrophes
Industrial catastrophes create serious repercussions, not only for the company that experiences them directly, but also for the customers that rely on them as a supplier. While the damage of a fire or natural disaster cannot be undone, those affected can protect themselves from greater loss by taking steps to preserve corrosion-susceptible parts stalled on the production line and creating a bank of critical raw materials to protect against future misfortunes. For more detailed recommendations on surviving emergencies and supply chain shortages, contact Cortec®.
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