Chemical raw material supply becoming “increasingly critical”, TFL says
Interim chief executive of leather chemicals group TFL, Samer Al Jabi, has said the current conflict in the Middle East is causing serious disruption to the entire value chain.
He said the situation was becoming more challenging the longer the conflict goes on, with logistics routes, energy availability and raw material supply chains all suffering severe disruption. He warned that securing access to key ingredients was becoming increasingly challenging.
Among chemicals directly impacted by the disruption, he explained that sulphur, urea and ammonia, for example, were essential for beamhouse processes. He described phenol and other organic ingredients as “critical for the wet-end”, and acrylics, polyurethanes and crosslinkers as “key components in finishing”.
He then said: “Quite simply, you cannot produce a finished leather article without consistent access to these inputs. Securing reliable access to these materials is increasingly critical to ensure we can continue to serve our customers effectively.”
TFL introduced temporary surcharges on freight and product costs at the end of March. Mr Al Jabi said this was necessary “to maintain reliable operations” because securing critical raw materials in the current environment meant “significantly higher costs”.
He emphasised that the company would reduce or remove these surcharges “as soon as conditions stabilise”. He added: “We fully understand that surcharges are not welcome and can put pressure on customer relationships. However, acting early and transparently was the responsible decision to safeguard supply reliability.”
Mr Al Jabi joined TFL in March 2025 as chief commercial officer. He was named interim chief excecutive in March 2026 following the departure of André Lanning.
