Availability problems

On this page we provide more information about availability issues, for example about products that we cannot deliver for a longer or shorter period of time because they are not available from our suppliers.

Below is a list of products that are not available for a longer period of time with information about availability. Please note that this information may change over time. We also provide alternatives where available.

Availability issues

cis-3-Hexenol – A major producer stopped production overnight several years ago. In addition, there have been many production issues at the largest suppliers of this in recent years. In the long run, the resulting shortage in the market will be resolved. Either due to more production (expected in the course of 2023), or due to less demand due to the many times higher market price. The same applies to aromachemicals based on this substance: cis-3-hexenyl acetate, cis-3-hexenyl salicylate and Liffarome (IFF). Having written that: the worst part is probably passed now. Current state of affairs (May 2023):

• cis-3-Hexenol: is available, but considerably more expensive than it was. We pay eight times more than a few years ago.
• cis-3-Hexenyl acetate: available, five times more expensive than before.
• cis-3-Hexenyl salicylate: available, five times more expensive than before.
• Liffarome (IFF): available, much more expensive than before.

cis-3-Hexenyl Acetate – See under cis-3-Hexenol.

cis-3-Hexenyl Salicylate – See under cis-3-Hexenol.

EO Guaiac wood – There is no EO Guaiac wood for sale in all of Europe, since the end of 2020 (except for a few old batches or stock). This oil is made from a critically endangered tree covered by the CITES conventions. To save this tree from extinction, the wood and oil can only be exported from Paraguay (the country where this oil comes from) if the government of that country gives permission and this can only be done after careful research has been carried out to ensure that not too much is harvested, and that other international rules are respected. At the beginning of December 2021, the permission was finally granted in Paraguay. Now we have to wait for the agreement of the European officials. We dare not express expectations about availability. It could take a week, two months, three years, we can only wait and see.

Guar gum – Available again.

Liffarome (IFF) – See at cis-3-Hexenol.

Perfume bottle Cilindro E4 50 ml – No longer available since May 2022. This is due to the high prices of the gas, which can make it cheaper for glass manufacturers and manufacturers of glass packaging not to produce. We are happy that we can still purchase all other glass packaging, albeit at a significantly higher price. Our other perfume packaging is a good alternative.

Patchouli Leaf Cut – No longer available as of July 2022. This may have to do with market protection in the countries of origin. They consider this leaf as a raw material for the production of patchouli oil and want it to be made locally as much as possible and not just in Europe.

Safraleine (Giv) – Available again since early May, 2023.

Causes

The main cause is the global increase in market scale, caused by the need for strong competition in the world market.

It is difficult to explain this briefly, but in summary: the world market is structured in such a way that economies of scale have all kinds of advantages. A larger company has it easier than a small one. As a result, well-performing small companies are bought up by the larger ones and the less well-performing smaller companies have to stop.

The result is that fewer types of products are made: the choice decreases. As an example you can see it this way: instead of 1000 small factories that each make 50 different fragrances, we now have 50 large factories that each make 100 different fragrances.

The result is that there are fewer places where something is made: the vulnerability of the availability increases. If a certain factory cannot supply for whatever reason, the few other factories can no longer absorb this. A factory that makes 20% of the world’s need for a product is no exception. In the past, such a factory was an exception, 1-2% was already a lot. The loss of a factory could then be more easily accommodated. Also because they worked less efficiently. There was always overcapacity, so if one factory couldn’t deliver, there were a few others that could make a little more. For competitive reasons, it usually makes little sense to have more capacity than you use, so that capacity is usually no longer available.

There can also be advantages to this, a larger-scale production can be more efficient, resulting in a better product, which is cheaper and causes less environmental impact. Whether this is also the case depends on the competitive pressure at this point.

But whichever way you look at it, the market has become more vulnerable to disruptions, which means that products can be unavailable more often than before.