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China: Jinfuliang – masterbatch
FOCUS
ON
PIGMENTS
World plastics fillers demand to reach 1.81 M tonnes/y by 2010
China: Gavin Chemical – nanoparticulate CaCO3
World consumption of functional fillers in the plastics industry is expected to increase from 1.36 M tonnes in 2005 to 1.814 M tonnes in 2010. Moreover, plastics processors have been calling for improved qualities and performance criteria for functional fillers, including: surface appearance, melt strength and processing conditions. For example, the use of surface-coated calcium carbonate in polyolefin blown films can result in faster line speeds, because the filler particles boost bubble stability and reduce torque and melt pressure. Manufacturers of corrugated plastic extruded sheet report that using ultrafine talc reduces sink marks and shrinkage, as well as increasing stiffness and flatness.
Gavin Chemical Industrial Co Ltd began production at its 70,000 tonnes/y nanoparticulate calcium carbonate plant at Luoding (Guangdong province) on 18 April 2007. The plant cost Yuan 290 M to build. Gavin Chemical plans to double capacity here by September 2007. Gavin Chemical also plans to establish another 70,000 tonnes/y plant at Chuanbu (also in Guangdong province) by May 2008. The company’s oldest plant – at Enping (Guangdong province) – now has a capacity of 120,000 tonnes/y. So, by next May, Gavin Chemical should have in place three plants, with a combined capacity of 330,000 tonnes/y of nanoparticulate calcium carbonate. China Chemical Reporter, 6 May 2007, 18 (13), 12
Modern Plastics Worldwide, Apr 2007, 84 (4), 30-31
China: Hebei Xinji – BaSO4 Top six markets account for 70% of European masterbatch demand Further details are available on the latest assessment of masterbatch demand by Applied Market Information Ltd (See ‘Focus on Pigments’, May 2007, 4). Of the European total of just over 800,000 tonnes in 2006, Germany accounted for 18%, Italy for 16%, the Benelux region for 14%, France for 12%, the UK for 10% and other markets for 30%. Kunststof en Rubber, May 2007, 60 (5), 5 (in Dutch)
PLANTS Brazil: Degussa – carbon black At the time of opening its new carbon black plant at Paulinia (about 120 km northwest of Sao Paulo), Degussa announced that it planned to eventually double its initial capacity of 50,000 tonnes/y. (See ‘Focus on Pigments’, Apr 2005, 4). As a result of debottlenecking, capacity has been raised to 55,000 tonnes/y and the company has now confirmed that work is going ahead on expanding capacity to 100,000 tonnes/y. No project completion date has been given, as yet. BNAmericas Petrochemicals News, 17 May 2007 (Website: http://www.Bnamericas.com)
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Haohua Hebei Xinji Chemical Co Ltd has brought on-stream a new 60,000 tonnes/y barium sulfate plant near Ankang in Pingli county (Shaanxi province). As by-product, Hebei Xinji can produce 20,000 tonnes/y of sodium sulfide. Anticipated annual sales revenue from the two products will be of the order of Yuan 150 M (about $19.6 M). The project required investment of Yuan 80 M (about $10.5 M). Hebei Xinji now intends to proceed with a second phase, entailing doubling barium sulfate capacity here to 120,000 tonnes/y. As a separate programme, Hebei Xinji invested Yuan 100 M (about $13 M) during 2005/06 to establish new facilities for making barium and strontium carbonates. (See ‘Focus on Pigments’, May 2005, 4). China Chemical Reporter, 16 Apr 2007, 18 (11), 14
China: Jilin Tianze – nanoparticulate CaCO3 The new 100,000 tonnes/y nanoparticulate calcium carbonate plant of Jilin Tianze Nanometre Materials Co Ltd came on-stream on 16 April 2007. The plant is located in the Shuangyang district of Changchun (Jilin province) and this district is said to have abundant resources of lowcost, high-quality calcium carbonate.
Jilin Tianze is a joint venture company established by Changchun Dali Nanometre Technology Development (of China) and International Petroleum Corp (of Australia). The partners invested Yuan 150 M (about $20.1 M) in this project and they expect to generate annual revenues of Yuan 300 M (or US$ 40.2 M) from selling nanoparticulate calcium carbonate to the rubber, plastic, paper, and paint sectors. China Chemical Reporter, 16 May 2007, 18 (14), 14
China: Jinfuliang – masterbatch Further details have come to light regarding the activities of Guangdong Dongguan Jinfuliang Plastic Materials Co Ltd. It was previously reported that the company had recently started-up a 6000 tonnes/y plant for making plastics masterbatches. (See ‘Focus on Pigments’, Apr 2007, 5). But this may have been premature. Now it has been revealed that the company will expand the floor-area of its factory at Shunde from 0.2 hectares to 1.0 hectares, this project to be completed towards the end of 2007 or early 2008. The expansion will create 40 new jobs. For full-year 2006, Jinfuliang reported sales revenue at $11.6 M, representing a 30% increase on the previous year. Exports accounted for 5% of sales revenue in 2006 and this proportion is expected to rise. Besides masterbatch, Jinfuliang produces pigments and engineering plastics. Plastics News, 25 May 2007, (Website: http://www.plasticsnews.com)
China: Lanxess – iron oxide pigments Lanxess officially opened its new 20,000 tonnes/y unit for making yellow iron oxide in the Jinshan district of Shanghai on 23 April 2007. The iron oxide here is made from scrap iron using conventional Lanxess technology. All the output from this unit will be sent to the company’s existing pigment blending and milling facilities nearby for processing into finished iron oxide pigments. Previously, Lanxess was buying-in crude iron oxide feedstock from outside suppliers. In the Chinese market, Lanxess sells its Bayferrox pigments mainly to the construction sector, notably for
JUNE 2007
ON
PIGMENTS
World plastics fillers demand to reach 1.81 M tonnes/y by 2010
China: Gavin Chemical – nanoparticulate CaCO3
World consumption of functional fillers in the plastics industry is expected to increase from 1.36 M tonnes in 2005 to 1.814 M tonnes in 2010. Moreover, plastics processors have been calling for improved qualities and performance criteria for functional fillers, including: surface appearance, melt strength and processing conditions. For example, the use of surface-coated calcium carbonate in polyolefin blown films can result in faster line speeds, because the filler particles boost bubble stability and reduce torque and melt pressure. Manufacturers of corrugated plastic extruded sheet report that using ultrafine talc reduces sink marks and shrinkage, as well as increasing stiffness and flatness.
Gavin Chemical Industrial Co Ltd began production at its 70,000 tonnes/y nanoparticulate calcium carbonate plant at Luoding (Guangdong province) on 18 April 2007. The plant cost Yuan 290 M to build. Gavin Chemical plans to double capacity here by September 2007. Gavin Chemical also plans to establish another 70,000 tonnes/y plant at Chuanbu (also in Guangdong province) by May 2008. The company’s oldest plant – at Enping (Guangdong province) – now has a capacity of 120,000 tonnes/y. So, by next May, Gavin Chemical should have in place three plants, with a combined capacity of 330,000 tonnes/y of nanoparticulate calcium carbonate. China Chemical Reporter, 6 May 2007, 18 (13), 12
Modern Plastics Worldwide, Apr 2007, 84 (4), 30-31
China: Hebei Xinji – BaSO4 Top six markets account for 70% of European masterbatch demand Further details are available on the latest assessment of masterbatch demand by Applied Market Information Ltd (See ‘Focus on Pigments’, May 2007, 4). Of the European total of just over 800,000 tonnes in 2006, Germany accounted for 18%, Italy for 16%, the Benelux region for 14%, France for 12%, the UK for 10% and other markets for 30%. Kunststof en Rubber, May 2007, 60 (5), 5 (in Dutch)
PLANTS Brazil: Degussa – carbon black At the time of opening its new carbon black plant at Paulinia (about 120 km northwest of Sao Paulo), Degussa announced that it planned to eventually double its initial capacity of 50,000 tonnes/y. (See ‘Focus on Pigments’, Apr 2005, 4). As a result of debottlenecking, capacity has been raised to 55,000 tonnes/y and the company has now confirmed that work is going ahead on expanding capacity to 100,000 tonnes/y. No project completion date has been given, as yet. BNAmericas Petrochemicals News, 17 May 2007 (Website: http://www.Bnamericas.com)
4
Haohua Hebei Xinji Chemical Co Ltd has brought on-stream a new 60,000 tonnes/y barium sulfate plant near Ankang in Pingli county (Shaanxi province). As by-product, Hebei Xinji can produce 20,000 tonnes/y of sodium sulfide. Anticipated annual sales revenue from the two products will be of the order of Yuan 150 M (about $19.6 M). The project required investment of Yuan 80 M (about $10.5 M). Hebei Xinji now intends to proceed with a second phase, entailing doubling barium sulfate capacity here to 120,000 tonnes/y. As a separate programme, Hebei Xinji invested Yuan 100 M (about $13 M) during 2005/06 to establish new facilities for making barium and strontium carbonates. (See ‘Focus on Pigments’, May 2005, 4). China Chemical Reporter, 16 Apr 2007, 18 (11), 14
China: Jilin Tianze – nanoparticulate CaCO3 The new 100,000 tonnes/y nanoparticulate calcium carbonate plant of Jilin Tianze Nanometre Materials Co Ltd came on-stream on 16 April 2007. The plant is located in the Shuangyang district of Changchun (Jilin province) and this district is said to have abundant resources of lowcost, high-quality calcium carbonate.
Jilin Tianze is a joint venture company established by Changchun Dali Nanometre Technology Development (of China) and International Petroleum Corp (of Australia). The partners invested Yuan 150 M (about $20.1 M) in this project and they expect to generate annual revenues of Yuan 300 M (or US$ 40.2 M) from selling nanoparticulate calcium carbonate to the rubber, plastic, paper, and paint sectors. China Chemical Reporter, 16 May 2007, 18 (14), 14
China: Jinfuliang – masterbatch Further details have come to light regarding the activities of Guangdong Dongguan Jinfuliang Plastic Materials Co Ltd. It was previously reported that the company had recently started-up a 6000 tonnes/y plant for making plastics masterbatches. (See ‘Focus on Pigments’, Apr 2007, 5). But this may have been premature. Now it has been revealed that the company will expand the floor-area of its factory at Shunde from 0.2 hectares to 1.0 hectares, this project to be completed towards the end of 2007 or early 2008. The expansion will create 40 new jobs. For full-year 2006, Jinfuliang reported sales revenue at $11.6 M, representing a 30% increase on the previous year. Exports accounted for 5% of sales revenue in 2006 and this proportion is expected to rise. Besides masterbatch, Jinfuliang produces pigments and engineering plastics. Plastics News, 25 May 2007, (Website: http://www.plasticsnews.com)
China: Lanxess – iron oxide pigments Lanxess officially opened its new 20,000 tonnes/y unit for making yellow iron oxide in the Jinshan district of Shanghai on 23 April 2007. The iron oxide here is made from scrap iron using conventional Lanxess technology. All the output from this unit will be sent to the company’s existing pigment blending and milling facilities nearby for processing into finished iron oxide pigments. Previously, Lanxess was buying-in crude iron oxide feedstock from outside suppliers. In the Chinese market, Lanxess sells its Bayferrox pigments mainly to the construction sector, notably for
JUNE 2007