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Albemarle expands mineral flame retardant capacity
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North American plastic sheet market set to grow According to a new report from Business Communications Co., Inc., RP-237 Plastic Sheet Processing Market, the North American plastic sheet/thermoformed product market totalled 2.9 billion kg (6.3 billion pounds) in 2004. This will increase to 3.6 billion kg (8 billion pounds) by 2009 a 4.8% average annual growth rate (AAGR). The growth in this market is driven by the increasing use of thermoformed plastics, especially in the rigid packaging market led by the food industry. Plastic sheet, usually 10-12mm in thickness, can either be extruded or cast, clear or opaque with a variety of colours and textures, and, most importantly, is the starting point for thermoformed resins,
which have enjoyed outstanding growth, especially in packaging. A wide array of resins is used to produce sheet/thermoformed resins. Major applications of sheet/thermoformed resins include: food and healthcare packaging, building/construction products, appliances, signs/displays, automotive and aircraft products. Technology advances both in plastic sheet and thermoformed products have enhanced their respective competitive positions compared to non-plastic materials such as paper/paperboard, glass and aluminium. The plastic sheet can be either clear or opaque with the former being more prominent while
most of the opaque plastic sheet is converted into thermoformed products. In turn most of the sheet is made with commodity thermoplastics led by polystyrene and including highdensity polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene and PVC. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), acrylonitrile-butadienestyrene terpolymer (ABS) are also popular sheet compounds as well as the two major clear plastic sheet resins, acrylics (polyacrylates) and polycarbonate. Several plastic producers have moved into sheet production; others just supply the resins that are converted to sheet by extruders. Plastics producers do not normally forward integrate into
the thermoforming part of the business. Packaging will remain the single largest application with its share increasing from nearly 60% in 2004 to 61.3% in 2009, at an AAGR of 5.5% through the forecast period. Some of the major companies involved in the plastic sheet/thermoformed product business include: Alcoa Packaging, Aristech Acrylics, Atoglas, Cyro Industries, Dart Container, Fabri-Kal, GE Plastics, Genpak, Lucite International, Pactiv, Plaskolite, Sheffield Plastics, Spartech and Tyco. Contact: Business Communications Co., Inc. Website: www.bccresearch.com
Albemarle expands mineral flame retardant capacity Albemarle Corporation is expanding its production capacity of mineral-based flame retardants, Martinal® fine precipitated aluminium trihydrate (ATH) and Magnifin® high purity magnesium hydroxide. As part of this expansion, Albemarle says that it will transform a former zeolite plant at its Pasadena, Texas site in the USA into a production unit for fine precipitated ATH. Scheduled for completion in 2006, Albemarle adds that the plant's projected capacity is to be 25,000 metric tones. The
additional capacity is said to boost Albemarle's global fine precipitated ATH production by more than 20% and will serve the company's existing customer base in North America. In addition, Magnifin Magnesiaprodukte GmbH & Co KG - the joint venture between Albemarle and RHI Group - has begun a process to double its early 1990s start-up capacity of 10,000 metric tones per year at its Breitenau, Austria site in two stages. This is to meet growing global demand for high purity magnesium hydroxide
Plastics Additives & Compounding July/August 2005
flame retardants. The project will also be completed in 2006. Martinal fine precipitated ATH is used as a flame retardant in wire and cable and other plastics applications because of its recyclability and smokesuppressant properties. Specially formulated, coated and uncoated Magnifin magnesium hydroxide powders are used in a wide range of polymer applications, especially thermoplastic materials and elastomers requiring high processing temperatures - in excess of 200°C. Typical applications include energy and
10
LAN data cables, automotive wire and cable, engineering thermoplastics (connectors) and construction foils. Magnifin Magnesiaprodukte is a leading manufacturer of magnesium hydroxide and offers more than 20 different flame retardant fillers. All the flame retardants are sold exclusively through Albemarle. Contact: Albemarle Corporation E-mail: rene_milligan@ albemarle.com Website:www.albemarle.com/ mainfrm.htm
News
North American plastic sheet market set to grow According to a new report from Business Communications Co., Inc., RP-237 Plastic Sheet Processing Market, the North American plastic sheet/thermoformed product market totalled 2.9 billion kg (6.3 billion pounds) in 2004. This will increase to 3.6 billion kg (8 billion pounds) by 2009 a 4.8% average annual growth rate (AAGR). The growth in this market is driven by the increasing use of thermoformed plastics, especially in the rigid packaging market led by the food industry. Plastic sheet, usually 10-12mm in thickness, can either be extruded or cast, clear or opaque with a variety of colours and textures, and, most importantly, is the starting point for thermoformed resins,
which have enjoyed outstanding growth, especially in packaging. A wide array of resins is used to produce sheet/thermoformed resins. Major applications of sheet/thermoformed resins include: food and healthcare packaging, building/construction products, appliances, signs/displays, automotive and aircraft products. Technology advances both in plastic sheet and thermoformed products have enhanced their respective competitive positions compared to non-plastic materials such as paper/paperboard, glass and aluminium. The plastic sheet can be either clear or opaque with the former being more prominent while
most of the opaque plastic sheet is converted into thermoformed products. In turn most of the sheet is made with commodity thermoplastics led by polystyrene and including highdensity polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene and PVC. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), acrylonitrile-butadienestyrene terpolymer (ABS) are also popular sheet compounds as well as the two major clear plastic sheet resins, acrylics (polyacrylates) and polycarbonate. Several plastic producers have moved into sheet production; others just supply the resins that are converted to sheet by extruders. Plastics producers do not normally forward integrate into
the thermoforming part of the business. Packaging will remain the single largest application with its share increasing from nearly 60% in 2004 to 61.3% in 2009, at an AAGR of 5.5% through the forecast period. Some of the major companies involved in the plastic sheet/thermoformed product business include: Alcoa Packaging, Aristech Acrylics, Atoglas, Cyro Industries, Dart Container, Fabri-Kal, GE Plastics, Genpak, Lucite International, Pactiv, Plaskolite, Sheffield Plastics, Spartech and Tyco. Contact: Business Communications Co., Inc. Website: www.bccresearch.com
Albemarle expands mineral flame retardant capacity Albemarle Corporation is expanding its production capacity of mineral-based flame retardants, Martinal® fine precipitated aluminium trihydrate (ATH) and Magnifin® high purity magnesium hydroxide. As part of this expansion, Albemarle says that it will transform a former zeolite plant at its Pasadena, Texas site in the USA into a production unit for fine precipitated ATH. Scheduled for completion in 2006, Albemarle adds that the plant's projected capacity is to be 25,000 metric tones. The
additional capacity is said to boost Albemarle's global fine precipitated ATH production by more than 20% and will serve the company's existing customer base in North America. In addition, Magnifin Magnesiaprodukte GmbH & Co KG - the joint venture between Albemarle and RHI Group - has begun a process to double its early 1990s start-up capacity of 10,000 metric tones per year at its Breitenau, Austria site in two stages. This is to meet growing global demand for high purity magnesium hydroxide
Plastics Additives & Compounding July/August 2005
flame retardants. The project will also be completed in 2006. Martinal fine precipitated ATH is used as a flame retardant in wire and cable and other plastics applications because of its recyclability and smokesuppressant properties. Specially formulated, coated and uncoated Magnifin magnesium hydroxide powders are used in a wide range of polymer applications, especially thermoplastic materials and elastomers requiring high processing temperatures - in excess of 200°C. Typical applications include energy and
10
LAN data cables, automotive wire and cable, engineering thermoplastics (connectors) and construction foils. Magnifin Magnesiaprodukte is a leading manufacturer of magnesium hydroxide and offers more than 20 different flame retardant fillers. All the flame retardants are sold exclusively through Albemarle. Contact: Albemarle Corporation E-mail: rene_milligan@ albemarle.com Website:www.albemarle.com/ mainfrm.htm