March 20 (Reuters) - German speciality chemicals maker

Lanxess on Thursday said U.S. customers had rushed to

stockpile its products, joining consumers and companies hoping

to get ahead of potential trade tariffs threatened by U.S.

President Donald Trump.

The company ships goods into the United States for firms

including Germany's Bayer and fragrance makers

Givaudan and Symrise, according to U.S.

import filings reviewed by Reuters.

Trump has since his inauguration imposed a variety of

blanket tariffs on several countries and goods, and threatened

further levies going forward.

Lanxess, which on Thursday forecast 2025 core earnings below

market expectations, said it had seen slightly lower prices in

the fourth quarter mostly due to input cost deflation, but

increased sales volumes for most business units as customers

rushed to place orders.

In early November, it had said potential U.S. protectionist

policies under Trump would benefit its business, given its

strong position with about 2,300 employees and around 20

production sites in 14 U.S. states and Ontario, Canada,

according to its website.

Tariffs tend to be inflationary because they raise the cost

of imported goods, prompting businesses to either absorb the

higher expenses or pass them on to consumers through price

increases.

The fear of rising prices often fuels stockpiling behaviour,

particularly of non-perishable goods like chemicals and medical

supplies, as companies buy goods before costs escalate further.