A devastating fire at a golf ball factory in Taiwan, responsible for producing approximately 20% of the world’s golf ball supply, has resulted in the tragic loss of nine lives, including four firefighters, and left over 100 people injured, as reported by the AP.
The fire erupted on Friday at Launch Technologies Co., a company that may not be widely recognized in the United States but is a contract manufacturer for several renowned brands in the golf industry, including Topgolf, Callaway, TaylorMade, and Bridgestone, according to the AP.
The report indicates that the fire rapidly spread and was followed by a powerful explosion, leading to the collapse of a section of the factory building, trapping factory workers inside. Subsequently, another explosion occurred, causing further devastation.
One significant contributing factor to the severity of the fire, as highlighted by the AP, is the materials used in golf ball production, which include highly flammable and explosive organic peroxides.
During a press conference following the incident, the mayor of Pingtung County revealed that Launch Technologies had a stockpile of 3,000 tons of organic peroxides on-site, far exceeding the 100-ton limit for hazardous materials imposed by Taiwanese law. Reports suggest that these organic peroxides were stored on the factory’s first floor instead of in a separate warehouse, as required by regulations.
Launch Technologies has already incurred fines totaling $75,000 for various violations related to the fire. These violations include a 20-minute delay in reporting the emergency to authorities, failure to designate a responsible point of contact for the fire commander, and failure to provide a comprehensive inventory of hazardous materials to responding firefighters.
This incident is not the first time that Launch Technologies has faced fines. Reports indicate that as far back as 2011, the company was ordered to compensate workers for overtime work that exceeded legal limits and occurred under harmful conditions. Furthermore, Launch Technologies faced fines in 2018 for other health and safety violations and in 2020 for air pollution-related issues.
The consequences of this fire are expected to have a long-lasting impact on golf ball manufacturing in Taiwan and are likely to lead to stricter regulations regarding the storage of hazardous materials.
Launch Technologies also supplies golf balls to several smaller brands, including OnCore. For these companies, swiftly finding alternative suppliers could present significant logistical challenges, especially given that their product plans are often made months or even years in advance.
In response to the incident, Callaway issued a statement expressing awareness of the fire and the company’s commitment to working with Launch Technologies and local authorities to gather more information. Callaway also extended their thoughts to the first responders, employees, and families affected by the tragedy.
