Henkel starts Loctite compound output in Australia

Henkel has started making Loctite PC 9313 High Impact Wearing Compound in Australia at its Kilsyth facility in Victoria.

The move adds another maintenance material to Henkel's local manufacturing base as miners and other heavy industries seek shorter supply chains and more predictable access to repair products.

Loctite PC 9313 is used to protect equipment exposed to abrasion and impact. It is typically applied to chutes, hoppers, mills, conveyor parts and other processing equipment in sectors including mining, quarrying and power generation.

By shifting production to Victoria, Henkel is replacing imported supply of the compound for customers in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. Local output is intended to improve delivery times, product availability and supply resilience across the region.

The launch builds on a broader onshoring effort at the Kilsyth site. Henkel already makes Loctite PC 7218 Wearing Compound and Purbond structural adhesives there, expanding a local range aimed at industrial maintenance and repair work.

Maintenance demand

The product sits in a part of the mining supply chain that rarely attracts attention but is central to plant reliability. Operators use wearing compounds to protect steel and other surfaces from repeated damage, helping equipment stay in service longer between shutdowns and repairs.

That matters as mining groups and industrial operators face pressure to control costs while keeping assets running. Unplanned downtime can disrupt output and increase maintenance spending, particularly where equipment is in constant contact with abrasive materials.

Henkel describes the compound as a two-part, rubber-modified epoxy that cures to a ceramic-like hardness while retaining impact resistance. It can also be used on vertical and overhead surfaces, broadening its application during maintenance of fixed plant.

Kalyan Roychowdhury, Business Development Manager, Infrastructure Protection and Repair, Henkel Adhesive Technologies Asia Pacific, outlined the rationale for the local production shift.

"Producing LOCTITE PC 9313 locally enables us to better support our customers by ensuring reliable access to critical maintenance and repair solutions, while also improving delivery times, supply resilience and product availability across the region," Roychowdhury said.

He said this was especially important for industries such as mining and heavy processing, where unplanned downtime can have significant operational and financial impacts.

Local expansion

The Kilsyth operation has become a focal point of Henkel's manufacturing footprint in Australia. Adding another industrial repair product there gives the company a broader locally made portfolio for customers that have traditionally depended on overseas shipments for specialist maintenance materials.

The shift comes as Australian industry has paid closer attention to supply chain reliability after disruptions to global freight and manufacturing exposed the risks of long sourcing routes. For products tied to maintenance schedules, delayed delivery can have knock-on effects for plant servicing and shutdown planning.

Henkel's broader strategy is to expand local production of maintenance and repair materials to strengthen support for Australian industries while serving nearby markets. Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea are all within the supply scope for the newly localised product.

Matt Greaves, General Manager, General Manufacturing & Maintenance, Henkel Adhesive Technologies Australia and New Zealand, said the decision also reflected a longer-term investment in domestic production.

"Bringing production of LOCTITE PC 9313 to Australia reflects our ongoing investment in local manufacturing and our commitment to customers in Australia and across the region," Greaves said.

He said Henkel was proud to support local industries with advanced technologies that help enhance equipment reliability and performance.

Henkel employs about 50,000 people worldwide and reported sales of EUR 20.5 billion and adjusted operating profit of EUR 3.0 billion in fiscal 2025.