One of the German car industry’s biggest polymer suppliers is cutting production in Europe, the latest example of how the energy crisis threatens to leave lasting scars on the continent’s industrial base.

Domo Chemicals Holding NV, which jointly operates Germany’s second biggest chemical plant, has begun filling European orders with materials shipped from the company’s facilities in North America and China, when possible, Chief Executive Officer Yves Bonte said in an interview.

“Europe has become uncompetitive with these high energy costs,” Bonte said, adding that the company is still fulfilling all orders. 

Europe’s chemical sector, which accounts for about a quarter of the continent’s industrial gas consumption, is at the forefront of the energy crisis unleashed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Like Domo, manufacturers including BASF SE have turned to importing certain materials to limit the impact of rising prices and stave off the threat of widespread gas rationing. 

While the moves help save gas and boost profits, they underscore the bleak future for energy-intensive manufacturing in Europe. Bonte said Domo is easing off investment in Europe due to the crisis, a move that implies lower production in the future. 

“Investments outside of Europe are proceeding as normal, but here it’s slower and more cautious,” he said.

According to VCI, the association of German chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturers, industry output is on course to contract 8.5% this year -- the most since 2009, when the financial crisis roiled markets and pitched the global economy into recession. Excluding pharmaceuticals, Germany’s chemical production slumped 8.2% in the second quarter, VCI said, adding that expectations for the coming months “are in the basement.” 

Germany’s powerhouse auto industry, including BMW, Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz, depends on industrial companies such as Domo to deliver the complex polyamides -- synthetic polymers made from petroleum-based plastics -- to make car parts from heat-resistant cable casings to steering wheels.

Substituting gas-intensive production lines with imports is one of the key levers for reducing gas demand, according to analysts at Bruegel, a Brussels-based think tank. They said effective substitution was the most reliable way for German industry to reduce the risk of forced rationing. 

BASF recently began importing ammonia, rather than producing the energy-intensive key chemical itself in Germany. Bonte said Domo is now sourcing its ammonia from abroad as well.

But there are limits to how much can be easily substituted. Belgium-based Domo makes a range of products, many for injection molding, at its facility in eastern Germany. Many of those require specific polymers to ensure standards, such as fire safety. But some plastics, such as the material used for car brake pedals, can be produced in and shipped from its other facilities, Bonte said.

The closely held company operates nine sites in the US, China and Europe, including the Leuna, Germany, plant that it runs together with Total SA and others. Domo recorded 1.9 billion euros ($1.9 billion) in revenue last year, making it a major player in the $32 billion global polyamide market.

Chemical import volumes have almost doubled this year as the crisis deepened. Germany imported around 2.8 billion tonnes of inorganic chemicals in the first half of 2022, according to Germany’s federal statistics office. That’s around 40% more in volume terms than during the same period a year ago.