Fire extinguished in the zinc sulphate plant of GRILLO Chemicals GmbH

We will keep you continuously informed about the current status here:

Production at the other sites in Goslar, Datteln and Frankfurt not affected
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October 1: Progress after the fire at the zinc sulphate plant at GRILLO

Following the fire in the zinc sulphate plant at the GRILLO factory in Duisburg, dismantling work has begun on the affected building. This work is necessary in order to gain access to the burnt-down facilities and parts of the building and to carry out a more precise assessment of the damage. At the same time, intensive work is being carried out on a schedule for partial commissioning and reconstruction.
“We would particularly like to emphasize the enormous support of our employees, who are contributing to the ongoing work with great commitment. We are extremely grateful for their commitment and motivation,” says Dr. Tilo Horstmann, Managing Director of GRILLO Chemicals GmbH.
GRILLO is doing everything it can to support its customers during this transition phase. The company is therefore working at full speed on solutions to maintain the supply chain. The company is also examining the possibility of temporarily buying in products to bridge potential bottlenecks.
Discussions with the insurers are proceeding constructively and GRILLO is confident that it will be able to achieve a swift and comprehensive settlement of the claims.

September 16, 4:00 pm:

Update on the availability of chemical products:
Due to the increasing number of customer inquiries, we would like to provide a brief update on the availability of our chemical products.

Due to the fire in Duisburg, the plants for the three product lines zinc sulphate, waste acid and sulphur dioxide cannot currently be operated. At the present time, we are unable to say when production will be possible again.

The product lines from the Frankfurt production facilities (DME, DMS, sulphuric acid, oleum, sulphites sulphates) are not affected by the incident and are not subject to any delivery restrictions.

 

September 13, 1:30 p.m:

The cause of the fire in the zinc sulphate plant at GRILLO-Werke has been determined: a technical defect in a fan started the fire. The police investigation is now complete.

GRILLO has already started the extensive clean-up and dismantling work. However, the reconstruction of the plant is expected to take some time. The Group is doing everything it can to make this process as efficient as possible, but due to the severity of the damage, this will take some time.

“The fire was undoubtedly a setback, but we are grateful that no one was seriously injured. We know that some of our customers have been severely affected by the loss of deliveries. We are in close contact with them to find solutions together. All our employees are working with determination and full commitment to repair the damage and restore operations as quickly as possible. I am very impressed by this high level of commitment. We will also overcome this challenge together and emerge stronger,” says CEO Ulrich Grillo.

September 11, 5:30 p.m:

Good news from Duisburg. The fire that broke out yesterday afternoon has been successfully extinguished. The fire department has officially declared its operation over. Fortunately, only one person was slightly injured in the incident and is already well again. There was no danger to residents at any time.

A specially trained team from GRILLO-Werke is currently continuing to keep a fire watch at the site to keep an eye on possible pockets of embers. Extinguishing equipment has remained on site so that the fire department can intervene again immediately if necessary.

The exact cause of the fire and the extent of the damage are still being investigated. GRILLO will continue to work closely with the relevant authorities to clarify the situation as quickly as possible.

September 11, 2024, 12:15 p.m.: The fire at the zinc sulphate plant at GRILLO is now under control, although the fire department is still on site fighting isolated pockets of embers. There was and still is no danger to local residents at any time. The safety of the workforce and the protection of workplaces is GRILLO’s top priority. GRILLO has the usual insurance cover for such cases and is currently in close contact with the responsible insurance company. The Grillo-Chemie plant in Duisburg has come to a complete standstill as a result of the fire. Affected employees of the Chemicals division will be informed comprehensively about the current status in an internal meeting today at noon. Employees from the other business units at the site can continue to work. The exact cause of the fire has not yet been determined and is being intensively investigated. The extent of the damage is also not yet fully known, but it can be assumed to be in the tens of millions. GRILLO would like to thank the emergency services and employees for their tireless efforts and will continue to keep the public informed of the situation.
September 11, 2024, 09:30 a.m.: Availability by telephone is currently limited.
September 10, 2024, 23:30: The fire that broke out this afternoon in the zinc sulphate plant of GRILLO-Werke AG was successfully brought under control. The all-clear is given to the population via sirens in the vicinity of the plant and the NINA warning app. Thanks to the rapid and coordinated efforts of the plant and emergency services, the fire was prevented from spreading to other buildings. Overall, one person was slightly injured in the incident, who was treated on site in an ambulance due to respiratory irritation. The person concerned was released after receiving initial treatment. The fire department and the LANUV continuously carried out measurements for increased concentrations of pollutants in the vicinity of the incident site and in the neighboring streets, schools and kindergartens. No pollutants were detected in these areas. “The safety of our employees and the public is our top priority at GRILLO. We are therefore primarily reassured that no one has been seriously injured,” says CEO Ulrich Grillo. The damage is still being assessed and the exact cause of the fire is currently the subject of intensive investigations. GRILLO is working closely with the relevant authorities to fully investigate the incident and take appropriate action. GRILLO would like to thank the emergency services and all those involved for their professional and rapid response, which prevented the worst from happening.
September 10, 9:25 p.m.: The results of the outdoor measurements by the fire department and authorities confirm that there are no abnormalities in the air around the GRILLO plants.
September 10, 8:45 p.m.: The extinguishing work continues. Measurements in the vicinity of the plant have not revealed any abnormalities. Further measurements are ongoing, results are expected within the next hour.
September 10, 7:20 p.m.: The extinguishing work continues.
September 10, 6:30 p.m.: The number of injured persons was corrected to one slightly injured person with respiratory irritation. The person was successfully treated in the ambulance. The fire department warned the population via the NINA app.
Original message: Duisburg, September 10, 2024, 17:38 – There was a fire in the zinc sulphate plant at the GRILLO site this afternoon. Fortunately, there are currently no injuries. The relevant fire department personnel arrived on site immediately and have already started extinguishing the fire. Residents are asked to keep windows and doors closed. “The safety of our employees and local residents is our top priority. All necessary safety measures were initiated immediately and the situation will continue to be monitored closely,” says site manager Dirk Ritterbach.

Further topics

Sustainability

Together for a liveable and sustainable future

At GRILLO, we are convinced that sustainability is not a trend, but a necessity. We therefore aim to continuously improve our processes and products and make a positive impact on the environment and society. We rely on sustainable solutions such as ECO ZINC, a circular economy and CO2 reduced production to make our contribution to climate protection and create a future worth living.
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Service & advice

We stand out in the industry due to our expertise and innovative strength. We offer tailor-made solutions thanks to our many years of experience in the production and development of chemical specialities and zinc products. We are keeping track with state-of-the-art technology through our own research facility and various cooperation projects. Our customers appreciate not only the quality of our products, but also our fast delivery and excellent customer service.
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