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China, India, Japan & Singapore
F O C US manufacturers deliberately incorporate additional quantities of carbon black, zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide to serve as light-screening agents. Major Chinese producers of light stabilisers include: Beijing Huashan Assistants, Wenzhou Plastic Chemical Assistants and Zhenjiang Qianjin Chemical Works. China Chemical Reporter, 16 Nov 2003, 14 (32), 21-22
PLANTS Australia: Austpac – TiO2 feedstock Austpac is evaluating sites in eastern Australia for the establishment of its first commercial-scale synrutile plant, employing its patented ERMS-SR technology. The plant will be designed to produce 30,000 tonnes/y of synrutile. Consolidated Rutile has agreed to supply Austpac with 70,000 tonnes/y of high-chrome ilmenite, from its mining operations on North Stradbroke Island, just off the coast of Queensland. Iluka, the world’s leading supplier of synrutile, has agreed to purchase the entire synrutile output. Both agreements are subject to the completion of satisfactory feasibility studies. Iluka can also obtain exclusive licensing rights for the ERMS-SR technology, subject to certain conditions. Iluka will also have an option to buy a 10% financial stake in Austpac. TiO2 Worldwide Update, Sep/Dec 2003, 11 (5/6), 5-6 & Industrial Minerals, Dec 2003, (435), 16
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Brazil: Imerys – CaCO3 & kaolin Following the successful expansion of its Rio Capim kaolin operations in northern Brazil to 800,000 tones/y in May 2003, Imerys has outlined plans to increase its calcium carbonate capacity in Brazil from 140,000 tonnes/y to 160,000 tonnes/y at a cost of $5†M. The expansion should be completed during the second half of 2004. As a result, the company’s annual sales revenues from calcium carbonate should be increased by $3 M. Meanwhile, Imerys has suffered a setback in its kaolin operations in the southeast of the country. These operations were inherited from the English China Clays group and consist of the Sao Caetano and Bianchi mines and a cycloning/ screening facility, all in the Mogi das Cruzes area. CETESB, the provincial environmental authority, recently notified Imerys of the expiry of its environmental permit for running the 60,000 tonnes/y processing facility. The facility has been temporarily shut down, but is expected to reopen before the end of February 2004. For full-year 2003, Imerys is anticipating kaolin sales revenues to be of the order of $60 M in respect of its southeastern operations, while the northern operations should contribute $180 M. While the Mogi das Cruzes operations produce filler grades of kaolin for sale to Brazilian papermakers, 99% of the kaolin output from Rio Capim Caulim is exported. BNAmericas Mining News, 29 Dec 2003 & 2 Jan 2004 (Business News Americas Ltda, Website: http://www.Bnamericas.com)
Brazil: CPS Color – pigment pastes CPS Color (of Vantaa, Finland) has brought on-stream a plant in Brazil for the manufacture of coloured pigment pastes. Production from this new source will compensate for the loss of output from the company’s Philadelphia plant in the US, which is scheduled for closure. Laboratory and distribution facilities at Philadelphia will be retained. CPS Color is the world’s largest supplier of tinting systems and associated colorants. It had been a subsidiary of Tikkurila within the Kemira group, but it was floated off as a separate entity in October 2000. Farbe und Lack, Nov 2003, 109 (11), 70 (in German)
JANUARY 2004
China, India, Japan & Singapore: Ishihara – TiO2 Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha (ISK) currently operates two TiO2 plants in Japan, with a combined capacity of 154,000 tonnes/y, and a plant in Singapore with a capacity of 45,000 tonnes/y. At the present time, all three plants are running at full capacity. Debottlenecking measures are being introduced to increase effective capacity. Within the next few years, ISK may invest in a new TiO2 plant in India or China. The company has always been a substantial exporter of TiO2 pigment. With the latest expansion moves, it
intends to increase its market share in China beyond the current 15% level and it intends to increase its market share in Southeast Asia beyond the current 20% level. Japan Chemical Week, 20 Nov 2003, 44 (2246), 12
China: Degussa – plastics colorants Degussa is planning to establish facilities in Shanghai to make plastic colorants and polyesters for sale to Chinese customers. Chemical and Engineering News, 8 Dec 2003, 81 (49), 12-13 (Website: http://www.cen-online.org)
China: DuPont – TiO2 The opening of DuPont’s new customer service centre in Shanghai was covered in ‘Focus on Pigments’, Oct 2003, 3. Subsequently, further details on this project were published in ‘EPRN’, viz: the Shanghai centre not only provides comprehensive after-sales and technical support services, it also has warehousing facilities and can offer TiO2 pigment in slurry form to cater for customers making water-based paints. Meanwhile, DuPont has also announced plans to invest $100 M to establish a new fluorochemicals and polymers facility in Jiangsu province. European Paint and Resin News, Nov 2003, 41 (11), 12
China: Huntsman Tioxide – TiO2 Ningbo (Zhejiang province) has become a major centre for the chemical industry: ten paint producers and three dyes manufacturers have factories here. Total capacity of plants currently operating at Ningbo includes: 80,000 tonnes/y of sulfuric acid; 27,000 tonnes/y of chlorine; and 2500 tonnes/y of o-toluidine and oand p-nitrotoluene. The local government is keen to attract more investment from foreign chemical manufacturers. During 2002, Huntsman Tioxide was reportedly evaluating a site in Ningbo for establishing a TiO2 pigments plant. China Chemical Reporter, 6 Nov 2003, 14 (31), 11
China: Laizhou & Haidiren – kaolin Shandong Laizhou Gold Group Co Ltd and Beijing Haidiren Resources Consulting Co Ltd have agreed to
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PLANTS Australia: Austpac – TiO2 feedstock Austpac is evaluating sites in eastern Australia for the establishment of its first commercial-scale synrutile plant, employing its patented ERMS-SR technology. The plant will be designed to produce 30,000 tonnes/y of synrutile. Consolidated Rutile has agreed to supply Austpac with 70,000 tonnes/y of high-chrome ilmenite, from its mining operations on North Stradbroke Island, just off the coast of Queensland. Iluka, the world’s leading supplier of synrutile, has agreed to purchase the entire synrutile output. Both agreements are subject to the completion of satisfactory feasibility studies. Iluka can also obtain exclusive licensing rights for the ERMS-SR technology, subject to certain conditions. Iluka will also have an option to buy a 10% financial stake in Austpac. TiO2 Worldwide Update, Sep/Dec 2003, 11 (5/6), 5-6 & Industrial Minerals, Dec 2003, (435), 16
O N
PIGMENTS
Brazil: Imerys – CaCO3 & kaolin Following the successful expansion of its Rio Capim kaolin operations in northern Brazil to 800,000 tones/y in May 2003, Imerys has outlined plans to increase its calcium carbonate capacity in Brazil from 140,000 tonnes/y to 160,000 tonnes/y at a cost of $5†M. The expansion should be completed during the second half of 2004. As a result, the company’s annual sales revenues from calcium carbonate should be increased by $3 M. Meanwhile, Imerys has suffered a setback in its kaolin operations in the southeast of the country. These operations were inherited from the English China Clays group and consist of the Sao Caetano and Bianchi mines and a cycloning/ screening facility, all in the Mogi das Cruzes area. CETESB, the provincial environmental authority, recently notified Imerys of the expiry of its environmental permit for running the 60,000 tonnes/y processing facility. The facility has been temporarily shut down, but is expected to reopen before the end of February 2004. For full-year 2003, Imerys is anticipating kaolin sales revenues to be of the order of $60 M in respect of its southeastern operations, while the northern operations should contribute $180 M. While the Mogi das Cruzes operations produce filler grades of kaolin for sale to Brazilian papermakers, 99% of the kaolin output from Rio Capim Caulim is exported. BNAmericas Mining News, 29 Dec 2003 & 2 Jan 2004 (Business News Americas Ltda, Website: http://www.Bnamericas.com)
Brazil: CPS Color – pigment pastes CPS Color (of Vantaa, Finland) has brought on-stream a plant in Brazil for the manufacture of coloured pigment pastes. Production from this new source will compensate for the loss of output from the company’s Philadelphia plant in the US, which is scheduled for closure. Laboratory and distribution facilities at Philadelphia will be retained. CPS Color is the world’s largest supplier of tinting systems and associated colorants. It had been a subsidiary of Tikkurila within the Kemira group, but it was floated off as a separate entity in October 2000. Farbe und Lack, Nov 2003, 109 (11), 70 (in German)
JANUARY 2004
China, India, Japan & Singapore: Ishihara – TiO2 Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha (ISK) currently operates two TiO2 plants in Japan, with a combined capacity of 154,000 tonnes/y, and a plant in Singapore with a capacity of 45,000 tonnes/y. At the present time, all three plants are running at full capacity. Debottlenecking measures are being introduced to increase effective capacity. Within the next few years, ISK may invest in a new TiO2 plant in India or China. The company has always been a substantial exporter of TiO2 pigment. With the latest expansion moves, it
intends to increase its market share in China beyond the current 15% level and it intends to increase its market share in Southeast Asia beyond the current 20% level. Japan Chemical Week, 20 Nov 2003, 44 (2246), 12
China: Degussa – plastics colorants Degussa is planning to establish facilities in Shanghai to make plastic colorants and polyesters for sale to Chinese customers. Chemical and Engineering News, 8 Dec 2003, 81 (49), 12-13 (Website: http://www.cen-online.org)
China: DuPont – TiO2 The opening of DuPont’s new customer service centre in Shanghai was covered in ‘Focus on Pigments’, Oct 2003, 3. Subsequently, further details on this project were published in ‘EPRN’, viz: the Shanghai centre not only provides comprehensive after-sales and technical support services, it also has warehousing facilities and can offer TiO2 pigment in slurry form to cater for customers making water-based paints. Meanwhile, DuPont has also announced plans to invest $100 M to establish a new fluorochemicals and polymers facility in Jiangsu province. European Paint and Resin News, Nov 2003, 41 (11), 12
China: Huntsman Tioxide – TiO2 Ningbo (Zhejiang province) has become a major centre for the chemical industry: ten paint producers and three dyes manufacturers have factories here. Total capacity of plants currently operating at Ningbo includes: 80,000 tonnes/y of sulfuric acid; 27,000 tonnes/y of chlorine; and 2500 tonnes/y of o-toluidine and oand p-nitrotoluene. The local government is keen to attract more investment from foreign chemical manufacturers. During 2002, Huntsman Tioxide was reportedly evaluating a site in Ningbo for establishing a TiO2 pigments plant. China Chemical Reporter, 6 Nov 2003, 14 (31), 11
China: Laizhou & Haidiren – kaolin Shandong Laizhou Gold Group Co Ltd and Beijing Haidiren Resources Consulting Co Ltd have agreed to
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