China: Haohua Xinji — barytes

F O C US of certain colored synthetic organic oleoresinous pigment dispersions from India were being sold on the US market at “less than fair value” and that these imports from India were causing material injury to the US organic pigments industry. The plaintiffs also alleged that these products were being exported from India with the benefit of subsidies from the Indian Government. The products under scrutiny were defined as: “coloured synthetic organic pigment dispersions, in flush or base form, containing pigments classified in either the Azo or Phthalo chemical classes that have been dispersed in an oleoresinous organic vehicle system (known as ‘varnish’) comprising assorted combinations of various solvents, oils, and resins. The subject pigment dispersions are a thick putty that contain by weight 20% or more pigment dispersed in the varnish. The subject pigment dispersions are used primarily for the manufacture of letterpress and lithographic printing inks, provided for in subheadings 3204.17.6020 (Pigment Blue 15:4), 3204.17.6085 (Pigments Red 48:1, Red 48:2, Red 48:3, and Yellow 174), 3204.17.90 (Pigments Red 57:1, Yellow 12, Yellow 13, Yellow 74, Blue 15:3, and Green 7), and 3204.17.9085 (Pigments Red 22, Red 48:4, Red 49:1, Red 49:2, Red 52:1, Red 53:1, Yellow 14, Yellow 83, and Green 36) of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the US. The USDC immediately launched an anti-dumping investigation. It received further petition supplements from various interested parties on 16, 18 and 20 June. About a month later, the USDC effectively delivered a “not guilty” verdict on the Indian organic pigment suppliers. The official wording was as follows: “On the basis of the record developed in the subject investigations, the US International Trade Commission determines, pursuant to sections 703(a) and 733(a) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 USC. 1671b(a) and 19 USC. 1673b(a)), that there is no reasonable indication that an industry in the US is materially injured or threatened with material injury, or that the establishment of an industry in the US is materially retarded, by reason of imports from India of certain coloured synthetic organic oleoresinous

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pigment dispersions that are alleged to be subsidised by the Government of India and alleged to be sold in the US at less than fair value.” Earlier this year, Indian suppliers of allura red food colorant were declared “not guilty” of selling “at less than fair value” in US markets. (See ‘Focus on Pigments’, Jun 2003, 4). Federal Register, 11 Jun 2003, 68 (112), 35003-35004 & 2 Jul 2003, 68 (127), 39513-39515 & 25 Jul 2003, 68 (143), 44100 (Website: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/advanced.html)

Rmb 50 M to build a 50,000 tonnes/y barium carbonate plant. In the second stage, Rmb 80 M will be invested in building an 80,000 tonnes/y plant. In the third stage, Rmb 120 M will be invested in building a 150,000 tonnes/y plant. The entire project should be completed by March 2004. Haohua Xinji is the leading barytes producer in China, with mineable reserves estimated at 108 M tonnes, representing more than 60% of the national total. China Chemical Reporter, 16 Jul 2003, 14 (20), 11

Russian paint output drops by more than 10% According to data recently released by the State Statistics Committee, Russian paint production dropped by 11.2% to 557,000 tonnes in 2002. However, Interfax points out that the contribution of small and mediumsized producers may have been underestimated, with the result that the drop in national paint production would have been less dramatic than it appears. Some enterprises, notably Kotovsky, registered significant increases in output. Russia: Paint Output (% Change, 2002 vs 2001) Kotovsky Saiver OAO Olivesta ZAO Empils TNP Lakokraska OAO Odilak Cherkosskoye PobRobochykh ZAO Zagorsk OAO Pigment OAO Chelak

+ 27.4% + 9.8% + 9.0% + 6.0% + 4.4% - 3.3% - 6.3% - 8.0% - 15.0% - 18.6% - 58.0%

Interfax Chemicals, May 2003, (95), 15 (Available from: Interfax Information Services BV. Tel: +1 (303) 368 1421. Website: http://www.interfax-news.com)

China: Zeon – carbon black masterbatch Zeon Corp, in collaboration with its affiliates and with Toyota Tsusho, plans to establish a 5000 tonnes/y carbon black masterbatch plant in Guangzhou province. Start-up is scheduled for July 2004. Japan Chemical Week, 21 Aug 2003, 44 (2233), 12

Finland: Kemira – TiO2 Kemira recently completed an $8.9 M upgrading programme at its 130,000 tonnes/y TiO2 pigment plant at Pori. The programme included the installation of a new packaging system and processing equipment designed to increase the production of speciality anatase grades, which are mainly sold to customers in the cosmetics, printing ink, plastic, food and pharmaceutical sectors. About 800 people are now employed at the Pori plant and more than 90% of the TiO2 produced here is exported. Industrial Minerals, Aug 2003, (430), 20

India: Aditya Birla – carbon black

PLANTS China: Haohua Xinji – barytes In mid-June, the Haohua Xinji Chemical group announced plans to establish 280,000 tonnes/y of new barium carbonate capacity at Tianzhou in the southwestern province of Guizhou. The project will be accomplished in three stages. In the first stage, the group will invest

Allied to its expansion plans for the Gummidipoondi carbon black plant (See also ‘Focus on Pigments’, Aug 2003, 3), Indian Rayon & Industries (IRI, part of the Aditya Birla group) has established a new research and development facility on the Gummidipoondi site. The cost of the new facility was Rup 70 M and most of its activity will be related to improving and fostering carbon black usage in non-rubber applications. Business Line, 21 Aug 2003, 10 (232), 2

SEPTEMBER 2003