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Brazil: Columbian – carbon black
FOCUS 7 March 2007. Presumably the antidumping duties levied on Indian suppliers of carbazole violet remain unchanged at: 27.23% for Alpanil Industries; 69.23% for Pidilite Industries; and 45.98% for all other Indian suppliers. Federal Register, 30 Mar 2007, 72 (61), 15101-15102 & 15113 (Website: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/advanced.html)
China’s TiO2 demand soars beyond 900,000 tonnes China’s TiO2 production hit a new record last year – just over 850,000 tonnes. This figure probably includes enamel grades, as well as conventional anatase and rutile pigment grades. Imports increased by 12.7%, compared against 2005, to reach 256,554 tonnes. Exports increased by 23% to 193,747 tonnes. Before allowing for producers’ net inventory addition, China’s apparent consumption of TiO2 was more than 913,000 tonnes in 2006. The US remains the world’s largest consumer of TiO2, but China is catching up fast. Industrial Minerals, Apr 2007, (475), 19 & Asia Pulse, 7 Mar 2007, 10
Japan’s TiO2 output drops below 240,000 tonnes According to the country’s trade association – JTDA – Japan’s TiO2 pigment production fell by 8% in 2006, reaching 239,296 tonnes. There had been a steady month-by-month downward trend for 14 months prior to December 2006. Japanese manufacturers shipped 164,487 tonnes to the Japanese market and 81,486 tonnes to export markets. Of total shipments, 85% (208,172 tonnes) were rutile grades; 15% (37,801 tonnes) were anatase grades. This means that rutile grades declined by 1%, while anatase grades declined by 11%. Japan Chemical Week, 8 Mar 2007, 48 (2407), 4
European plastics masterbatch demand forecast to continue growing at 3% per annum Applied Market Information (AMI, consultants based in Bristol, specialising in the plastics industry) assess Europe’s total plastics
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PIGMENTS
masterbatch consumption at 800,000 tonnes for 2006. Production was 960,000 tonnes, consisting of 29% whites, 23% blacks, 24% coloureds and 24% as additive masterbatches. The Benelux region hosts several important production facilities and this region accounts for 23% of total regional production. AMI forecasts that demand will continue to rise at an average 3% per annum between now and 2010. The long-term growth rate from 2001 to 2006 was also around 3% per annum. Plastics and Rubber Weekly, 30 Mar 2007, 10
PLANTS Brazil: Columbian – carbon black Columbian Chemicals should be ready to start-up its new 55,000 tonnes/y carbon black plant at Camacari (Bahia province) before the end of April 2007. Capital investment in this project was assessed at $67 M. The carbon black output will be mostly supplied to local tyre manufacturers. Feedstock, in the form of aromatic pyrolysis residues, will be supplied by Braskem. BNAmericas Petrochemicals News, 24 Apr 2007, (Business News Americas Ltda, Website: http://www.Bnamericas.com)
115,000 tonnes/y of aniline for making dyes & pigments in China Aniline capacity in China jumped from just over 600,000 tonnes/y in 2005 to 912,000 tonnes/y in 2006. The country’s major producers include: Sinopec Nanjing Chemical Co (with 205,000 tonnes/y), Shanxi Tianji Coal Chemical Industry Group Co (with 130,000 tonnes/y) and Singpu Chemical Industries Taixing Co (with 90,000 tonnes/y). China’s aniline output rose by 22.4% to 600,000 tonnes in 2006, while apparent consumption increased by 39% to 677,000 tonnes. The polyurethanes sector is now the main end-user of aniline in China. Aniline is a precursor in the manufacture of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI). For 2007, China’s aniline demand for making MDI/polyurethanes is forecast at 224,000 tonnes. The dyes and pigments sector is expected to require 115,000 tonnes of aniline. Other enduse sectors include: rubber products (135,000 tonnes) and pharmaceuticals and pesticides (60,000 tonnes). Total aniline demand is forecast at 724,000 tonnes for 2007. Three new aniline plants are expected to start-up during the first half of 2007, operated by: Shandong Huayang Agrochemical Group (50,000 tonnes/y); Shandong Haihua Chemical Co (50,000 tonnes/y from Apr 2007); and Yancheng Xinquan Chemical Co (30,000 tonnes/y). These new plants will exacerbate the oversupply situation and aniline prices are expected to fall. China Chemical Reporter, 6 Apr 2007, 18 (10), 21-23
China: Holland Colours – plastic colorants Holland Colours (of Apeldoorn, Netherlands) has commenced production of speciality colorants for silicone, packaging plastics and construction materials at a new factory located in the Spark Development Zone, near Shanghai. An opening ceremony for the new factory, with a floor area of 2000 sq m, took place on 2 March 2007. Kunststof en Rubber, Apr 2007, 60 (4), 9 (in Dutch)
China: Lanxess – iron oxide pigments Lanxess has commissioned a 20,000 tonnes/y iron oxide pigments plant near Shanghai. This is the company’s second iron oxide pigments plant in China. The first plant, also in the Shanghai region and also having a capacity of 20,000 tonnes/y, was commissioned in 1997 as a 67:33 joint venture between Bayer (now Lanxess) and Shanghai Coatings Corp. Chemie Technik (Heidelberg), 7 May 2007, (Website: http://www.chemietechnik.de) (in German)
China: Meilin Chemical – nanoparticulate CaCO3 Meilin Chemical Co Ltd is building a 200,000 tonnes/y plant at Hezhou (Guangxi province) for making nanoparticulate calcium carbonate. The Yuan 120 M project is being funded by a consortium of companies based in Taiwan. The output will be sold to customers in the
MAY 2007
China’s TiO2 demand soars beyond 900,000 tonnes China’s TiO2 production hit a new record last year – just over 850,000 tonnes. This figure probably includes enamel grades, as well as conventional anatase and rutile pigment grades. Imports increased by 12.7%, compared against 2005, to reach 256,554 tonnes. Exports increased by 23% to 193,747 tonnes. Before allowing for producers’ net inventory addition, China’s apparent consumption of TiO2 was more than 913,000 tonnes in 2006. The US remains the world’s largest consumer of TiO2, but China is catching up fast. Industrial Minerals, Apr 2007, (475), 19 & Asia Pulse, 7 Mar 2007, 10
Japan’s TiO2 output drops below 240,000 tonnes According to the country’s trade association – JTDA – Japan’s TiO2 pigment production fell by 8% in 2006, reaching 239,296 tonnes. There had been a steady month-by-month downward trend for 14 months prior to December 2006. Japanese manufacturers shipped 164,487 tonnes to the Japanese market and 81,486 tonnes to export markets. Of total shipments, 85% (208,172 tonnes) were rutile grades; 15% (37,801 tonnes) were anatase grades. This means that rutile grades declined by 1%, while anatase grades declined by 11%. Japan Chemical Week, 8 Mar 2007, 48 (2407), 4
European plastics masterbatch demand forecast to continue growing at 3% per annum Applied Market Information (AMI, consultants based in Bristol, specialising in the plastics industry) assess Europe’s total plastics
4
ON
PIGMENTS
masterbatch consumption at 800,000 tonnes for 2006. Production was 960,000 tonnes, consisting of 29% whites, 23% blacks, 24% coloureds and 24% as additive masterbatches. The Benelux region hosts several important production facilities and this region accounts for 23% of total regional production. AMI forecasts that demand will continue to rise at an average 3% per annum between now and 2010. The long-term growth rate from 2001 to 2006 was also around 3% per annum. Plastics and Rubber Weekly, 30 Mar 2007, 10
PLANTS Brazil: Columbian – carbon black Columbian Chemicals should be ready to start-up its new 55,000 tonnes/y carbon black plant at Camacari (Bahia province) before the end of April 2007. Capital investment in this project was assessed at $67 M. The carbon black output will be mostly supplied to local tyre manufacturers. Feedstock, in the form of aromatic pyrolysis residues, will be supplied by Braskem. BNAmericas Petrochemicals News, 24 Apr 2007, (Business News Americas Ltda, Website: http://www.Bnamericas.com)
115,000 tonnes/y of aniline for making dyes & pigments in China Aniline capacity in China jumped from just over 600,000 tonnes/y in 2005 to 912,000 tonnes/y in 2006. The country’s major producers include: Sinopec Nanjing Chemical Co (with 205,000 tonnes/y), Shanxi Tianji Coal Chemical Industry Group Co (with 130,000 tonnes/y) and Singpu Chemical Industries Taixing Co (with 90,000 tonnes/y). China’s aniline output rose by 22.4% to 600,000 tonnes in 2006, while apparent consumption increased by 39% to 677,000 tonnes. The polyurethanes sector is now the main end-user of aniline in China. Aniline is a precursor in the manufacture of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI). For 2007, China’s aniline demand for making MDI/polyurethanes is forecast at 224,000 tonnes. The dyes and pigments sector is expected to require 115,000 tonnes of aniline. Other enduse sectors include: rubber products (135,000 tonnes) and pharmaceuticals and pesticides (60,000 tonnes). Total aniline demand is forecast at 724,000 tonnes for 2007. Three new aniline plants are expected to start-up during the first half of 2007, operated by: Shandong Huayang Agrochemical Group (50,000 tonnes/y); Shandong Haihua Chemical Co (50,000 tonnes/y from Apr 2007); and Yancheng Xinquan Chemical Co (30,000 tonnes/y). These new plants will exacerbate the oversupply situation and aniline prices are expected to fall. China Chemical Reporter, 6 Apr 2007, 18 (10), 21-23
China: Holland Colours – plastic colorants Holland Colours (of Apeldoorn, Netherlands) has commenced production of speciality colorants for silicone, packaging plastics and construction materials at a new factory located in the Spark Development Zone, near Shanghai. An opening ceremony for the new factory, with a floor area of 2000 sq m, took place on 2 March 2007. Kunststof en Rubber, Apr 2007, 60 (4), 9 (in Dutch)
China: Lanxess – iron oxide pigments Lanxess has commissioned a 20,000 tonnes/y iron oxide pigments plant near Shanghai. This is the company’s second iron oxide pigments plant in China. The first plant, also in the Shanghai region and also having a capacity of 20,000 tonnes/y, was commissioned in 1997 as a 67:33 joint venture between Bayer (now Lanxess) and Shanghai Coatings Corp. Chemie Technik (Heidelberg), 7 May 2007, (Website: http://www.chemietechnik.de) (in German)
China: Meilin Chemical – nanoparticulate CaCO3 Meilin Chemical Co Ltd is building a 200,000 tonnes/y plant at Hezhou (Guangxi province) for making nanoparticulate calcium carbonate. The Yuan 120 M project is being funded by a consortium of companies based in Taiwan. The output will be sold to customers in the
MAY 2007