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Akzo Nobel undertakes further restructuring of polymer chemicals…
October 2003
Antimicrobial from Sanitized receives EPA approval Antimicrobial treatments specialist Sanitized AG has received EPA registration for its new additive Sanitized® PL 21-60. This registration assures the product’s entry to the US market, the company says. The registration covers the product’s use in plastics for protection against microbes such as mould and bacteria. According to product manager Heinz Studer, Sanitized PL 21-60 has given excellent results especially in PVC and polyurethanes (see Additives for Polymers, May 2003, p. 5). In masterbatch form, the additive can also be used in thermoplastic elastomers, wood-plastic composites, polyolefins and other polymers. The antimicrobial is said to have an especially wide spectrum of activity, including mould fungi, yeasts, algae and bacteria. The active ingredient is rated as particularly safe for humans and the environment, and has passed rigorous dermatological tests. The company is also promoting its Sanitized® Silver antibacterial product to plastics processors. Sanitized AG says its silver-based plastics additive avoids the problems of discoloration or dulling of transparent materials found with other silver additives. “The solution lay in a unique transparent glass ceramic carrier in which the silver ions are embedded and at the same time protected”, Studer explains. The glass ceramic activates the silver ions only when the ambient conditions favour the growth of bacteria, avoiding discoloration for treated materials even when in contact with foodstuffs such as cheese, he says. Once Sanitized Silver is incorporated into the plastic material it develops its effect permanently. Studer says the additive has potential applications not only in plastic products but also in synthetic fibres, clothing, wiping cloths, brushes, cutting boards, working surfaces, refrigerators, telephone receivers, flooring materials and sanitary products. The Sanitized range of antimicrobial additives for plastics is available through Clariant Pigments & Additives Division. Contact: Sanitized AG, Lyssachstrasse 95, CH3400 Burgdorf, Switzerland; tel: +41-34-4271624; fax: +41-34-427-1610; e-mail: [email protected]; URL: www.sanitized.com
Additives for Polymers
BASF launches pigments with certified filter pressures for PP fibres BASF is claiming a market first with its pigments with certified filter pressure (FP) values for dyeing polypropylene fibres. The company says that every pigment lot is tested for FP and certified, removing the need for users to perform FP testing as part of their incoming quality control. The pigments are also claimed to provide superior ‘worry-free’ processing. The fibre industry requires high-performance pigments for the solution-dyeing of polypropylene fibre. FP testing, which indicates how fast a pigment will clog up a spinning line, has therefore been widely adopted in addition to dispersability tests to determine whether incoming pigment batches meet the necessary criteria. The lower the FP value, the better the pigment. The test protocol developed and used by BASF is based on a proposed new DIN standard; BASF specialists were actively involved in establishing this new standard. The company says that all its FP pigments have low filter pressure values. Contact: BASF AG, D-67065 Ludwigshafen, Germany; tel: +49-621-60-0; fax: +49-621-6042525; e-mail: [email protected]; URL: www.basf.com/pigment
COMPANY STRATEGIES Akzo Nobel undertakes further restructuring of polymer chemicals… Akzo Nobel Polymer Chemicals is planning further restructuring measures to improve its performance. A number of cost savings measures were instigated in March this year but these have failed to improve performance sufficiently and further restructuring is now considered essential for the future of the business. The restructuring measures, which are in addition to the earlier closure of its polymer additive production plant in Gillingham, UK, and its operation at Burt, NY, USA, will result in a reduction of some 150 jobs. The reductions will be in
3
Additives for Polymers
R&D, control and accounting, information management, sales, administration and manufacturing. All regions around the world will be affected, the company says. The implementation of this restructuring programme will take place during the remainder of this year and continue in 2004. “We are confident that with these measures we will improve our performance,” says Bob Margevich, general manager of Akzo Nobel Polymer Chemicals. “In the past few years our business unit has made significant investments and acquisitions. These, in combination with this restructuring programme, will strengthen our strategic position in the markets we operate in and provide the foundation for future growth,” he adds. Akzo Nobel Polymer Chemicals is headquartered in Chicago, USA, and is part of the company’s Chemicals portfolio. While its main business area is the production and supply of organic peroxides, metal alkyls, Ziegler-Natta and other polymerization catalysts, primarily for the production of thermoplastics and thermoset plastic materials, Polymer Chemicals also supplies a broad range of polymer additives (including antistatics, electroconductive carbon blacks, antimony-based flame retardants, processing aids and slip additives). Contact: Akzo Nobel Polymer Chemicals, 525 West Van Buren Street, Chicago, IL 60607-3823, USA; tel: +1-312-544-7000; fax: +1-312-5447408; URL: www.akzonobel-polymerchemicals.com
…plans divestment of phosphorus chemicals, catalysts and coating resins In related news, Akzo Nobel has announced its intention to sell three businesses from its Chemicals portfolio to give the company “more room to manoeuvre”. Catalysts, Coating Resins and Phosphorus Chemicals will be divested. According to Hans Wijers, chairman of Akzo Nobel’s Board of Management, the move will both add value to the company and create a more consistent portfolio of businesses. The planned divestments involve three excellent and profitable businesses, collectively representing close to 1 billion in sales, he says. “It will be clear from this that
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October 2003
we expect to realize more than the 0.5 billion announced in May this year but we are not in a race against the clock to sell.” The priority is to create maximum value, Wijers adds. Akzo Nobel Phosphorus Chemicals, which is part of the Functional Chemicals business group, manufactures and distributes organophosphorus flame retardants, plasticizers and lubricants. Applications include engineering resins, polyurethane foams, PVC, fire-resistant fluids and turbine oils. The phosphorus-based flame retardants are sold under the names Fyrol®, Phosflex® and Fyrolflex®. Contact: Akzo Nobel Functional Chemicals bv, Barchman Wuytierslaan 10, 3818 LH Amersfoort, The Netherlands; tel. +31-334676767; fax +31-33-4676146; URL: www.functionalchemicals.com
Clariant unveils corporate transformation programme Clariant’s new chief executive Roland Lösser has announced a wide-reaching corporate transformation programme in an endeavour to significantly reduce debt, cut costs, and re-establish the group as one of the leading speciality chemicals companies. Overall, the programme targets more than CHF1.5 billion in proceeds from asset sales and aims to increase the pre-tax return on invested capital within the next three to four years to at least 12%, up from the current level of around 7%. The company’s cellulose ethers and electronic materials businesses will be sold and four agrochemicals plants closed. The refocused strategy is the result of an extensive internal review. Lösser says that Clariant will now focus mainly on businesses where it can combine its strong customer service capabilities with its leadingedge surface and colour technology. He says the company has a lot to be proud of in this area: “Clariant has already very successfully built many of these types of businesses, for example Masterbatches, Performance & Process Chemicals, Textile Chemicals and Coatings. We will build further on these strengths.” The company plans to sell several businesses in addition to cellulose ethers and electronic materials. Details have not yet been disclosed but
Antimicrobial from Sanitized receives EPA approval Antimicrobial treatments specialist Sanitized AG has received EPA registration for its new additive Sanitized® PL 21-60. This registration assures the product’s entry to the US market, the company says. The registration covers the product’s use in plastics for protection against microbes such as mould and bacteria. According to product manager Heinz Studer, Sanitized PL 21-60 has given excellent results especially in PVC and polyurethanes (see Additives for Polymers, May 2003, p. 5). In masterbatch form, the additive can also be used in thermoplastic elastomers, wood-plastic composites, polyolefins and other polymers. The antimicrobial is said to have an especially wide spectrum of activity, including mould fungi, yeasts, algae and bacteria. The active ingredient is rated as particularly safe for humans and the environment, and has passed rigorous dermatological tests. The company is also promoting its Sanitized® Silver antibacterial product to plastics processors. Sanitized AG says its silver-based plastics additive avoids the problems of discoloration or dulling of transparent materials found with other silver additives. “The solution lay in a unique transparent glass ceramic carrier in which the silver ions are embedded and at the same time protected”, Studer explains. The glass ceramic activates the silver ions only when the ambient conditions favour the growth of bacteria, avoiding discoloration for treated materials even when in contact with foodstuffs such as cheese, he says. Once Sanitized Silver is incorporated into the plastic material it develops its effect permanently. Studer says the additive has potential applications not only in plastic products but also in synthetic fibres, clothing, wiping cloths, brushes, cutting boards, working surfaces, refrigerators, telephone receivers, flooring materials and sanitary products. The Sanitized range of antimicrobial additives for plastics is available through Clariant Pigments & Additives Division. Contact: Sanitized AG, Lyssachstrasse 95, CH3400 Burgdorf, Switzerland; tel: +41-34-4271624; fax: +41-34-427-1610; e-mail: [email protected]; URL: www.sanitized.com
Additives for Polymers
BASF launches pigments with certified filter pressures for PP fibres BASF is claiming a market first with its pigments with certified filter pressure (FP) values for dyeing polypropylene fibres. The company says that every pigment lot is tested for FP and certified, removing the need for users to perform FP testing as part of their incoming quality control. The pigments are also claimed to provide superior ‘worry-free’ processing. The fibre industry requires high-performance pigments for the solution-dyeing of polypropylene fibre. FP testing, which indicates how fast a pigment will clog up a spinning line, has therefore been widely adopted in addition to dispersability tests to determine whether incoming pigment batches meet the necessary criteria. The lower the FP value, the better the pigment. The test protocol developed and used by BASF is based on a proposed new DIN standard; BASF specialists were actively involved in establishing this new standard. The company says that all its FP pigments have low filter pressure values. Contact: BASF AG, D-67065 Ludwigshafen, Germany; tel: +49-621-60-0; fax: +49-621-6042525; e-mail: [email protected]; URL: www.basf.com/pigment
COMPANY STRATEGIES Akzo Nobel undertakes further restructuring of polymer chemicals… Akzo Nobel Polymer Chemicals is planning further restructuring measures to improve its performance. A number of cost savings measures were instigated in March this year but these have failed to improve performance sufficiently and further restructuring is now considered essential for the future of the business. The restructuring measures, which are in addition to the earlier closure of its polymer additive production plant in Gillingham, UK, and its operation at Burt, NY, USA, will result in a reduction of some 150 jobs. The reductions will be in
3
Additives for Polymers
R&D, control and accounting, information management, sales, administration and manufacturing. All regions around the world will be affected, the company says. The implementation of this restructuring programme will take place during the remainder of this year and continue in 2004. “We are confident that with these measures we will improve our performance,” says Bob Margevich, general manager of Akzo Nobel Polymer Chemicals. “In the past few years our business unit has made significant investments and acquisitions. These, in combination with this restructuring programme, will strengthen our strategic position in the markets we operate in and provide the foundation for future growth,” he adds. Akzo Nobel Polymer Chemicals is headquartered in Chicago, USA, and is part of the company’s Chemicals portfolio. While its main business area is the production and supply of organic peroxides, metal alkyls, Ziegler-Natta and other polymerization catalysts, primarily for the production of thermoplastics and thermoset plastic materials, Polymer Chemicals also supplies a broad range of polymer additives (including antistatics, electroconductive carbon blacks, antimony-based flame retardants, processing aids and slip additives). Contact: Akzo Nobel Polymer Chemicals, 525 West Van Buren Street, Chicago, IL 60607-3823, USA; tel: +1-312-544-7000; fax: +1-312-5447408; URL: www.akzonobel-polymerchemicals.com
…plans divestment of phosphorus chemicals, catalysts and coating resins In related news, Akzo Nobel has announced its intention to sell three businesses from its Chemicals portfolio to give the company “more room to manoeuvre”. Catalysts, Coating Resins and Phosphorus Chemicals will be divested. According to Hans Wijers, chairman of Akzo Nobel’s Board of Management, the move will both add value to the company and create a more consistent portfolio of businesses. The planned divestments involve three excellent and profitable businesses, collectively representing close to 1 billion in sales, he says. “It will be clear from this that
4
October 2003
we expect to realize more than the 0.5 billion announced in May this year but we are not in a race against the clock to sell.” The priority is to create maximum value, Wijers adds. Akzo Nobel Phosphorus Chemicals, which is part of the Functional Chemicals business group, manufactures and distributes organophosphorus flame retardants, plasticizers and lubricants. Applications include engineering resins, polyurethane foams, PVC, fire-resistant fluids and turbine oils. The phosphorus-based flame retardants are sold under the names Fyrol®, Phosflex® and Fyrolflex®. Contact: Akzo Nobel Functional Chemicals bv, Barchman Wuytierslaan 10, 3818 LH Amersfoort, The Netherlands; tel. +31-334676767; fax +31-33-4676146; URL: www.functionalchemicals.com
Clariant unveils corporate transformation programme Clariant’s new chief executive Roland Lösser has announced a wide-reaching corporate transformation programme in an endeavour to significantly reduce debt, cut costs, and re-establish the group as one of the leading speciality chemicals companies. Overall, the programme targets more than CHF1.5 billion in proceeds from asset sales and aims to increase the pre-tax return on invested capital within the next three to four years to at least 12%, up from the current level of around 7%. The company’s cellulose ethers and electronic materials businesses will be sold and four agrochemicals plants closed. The refocused strategy is the result of an extensive internal review. Lösser says that Clariant will now focus mainly on businesses where it can combine its strong customer service capabilities with its leadingedge surface and colour technology. He says the company has a lot to be proud of in this area: “Clariant has already very successfully built many of these types of businesses, for example Masterbatches, Performance & Process Chemicals, Textile Chemicals and Coatings. We will build further on these strengths.” The company plans to sell several businesses in addition to cellulose ethers and electronic materials. Details have not yet been disclosed but