- Email: [email protected]
Dirk’s low-cost cenospheres from power-station fly-ash
FOCUS net income at $32.2 M on sales of $966.6 M, compared against $12.7 M on $975.2 M for the previous year. Net income for that year included a charge of $4.6 M in respect of costs associated with closing the Akron manufacturing facilities. During the latest year, Schulman completed an expansion of its plant at Kerpen (Germany), adding new manufacturing lines with a combined capacity of 15,000 tonnes/y plus new warehouse space. The company also renovated and modernised its Italian manufacturing facility, which was purchased in 2000. Work was well underway on installing two new manufacturing lines in Mexico and plans were announced for new projects in China and Poland. The Chinese plant, to be built at an undisclosed location in Guangdong province, will be designed with a capacity of 18,000 tonnes/y and it should come into operation in early 2004. (See also ‘Focus on Pigments’, Sep 2002, 3). At Schulman’s Annual General Meeting, as well as reporting on the progress of its latest projects, Mr Terry Haines (President & CEO) mentioned that the company had won the “Grand Award” of the Society of Plastics Engineers for automotive polymers innovation. The citation for this award highlighted Schulman’s Formion ionomer film for automotive exteriors. Towards the end of November, Schulman was chosen by Honda Motor Co to supply Invision thermoplastic compounds for three Honda vehicle platforms. The Invision thermoplastics are said to be lightweight, soft-to-the-touch, environmentally friendly alternatives to polyvinyl chloride. The New Year has started well, with Schulman declaring a sharp rise in net income for the quarter to endNovember 2002 at $8.3 M, compared against $5.2 M for the equivalent period of 2001. The sharp increase in earnings was primarily attributed to the European operations, with a healthy rise in sales volume and a much stronger Euro. Overall, Schulman achieved a 4.2% increase in sales tonnage and a 5.3% increase due to beneficial movements in foreign exchange rates. A 26-week programme has been started to improve the cost efficiency and profitability of Schulman’s North
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American operations. The target is to generate annual operating savings of $6-7 M. Mr Haines said: “The North American business has been affected by higher resin prices, continuing competitive pressure and weak demand for value-added engineered products. The programme reflects the commitment of Schulman to excel in all its geographic markets.” Schulman describes itself as a “leading international supplier of highperformance plastic compounds and resins, which are used as raw materials in a variety of markets. Its principal product lines consist of proprietary and custom-formulated engineered plastic compounds, colour concentrates and additives that improve the appearance and performance of plastics in a number of specialised applications.” Altogether, the Schulman group employs approximately 2,300 employees and has 13 manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe, Mexico and the Asia/Pacific region. Press releases from: A.Schulman Inc, 3550 West Market Street, Akron, OH 44333, USA. Fax: +1 330 668 7204. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: http://www.aschulman.com (9 & 27 Jan 2003 & 5 Dec 2002)
Sun buys AIC, French producer of special effect pigments Sun Chemical (of Fort Lee, NJ, a subsidiary of Dainippon Ink & Chemicals) has acquired a 50% stake in Assemblage Intermoleculaire en Chimie Organique (AIC), which produces special effect organic pigments, additives and inks at Libourne (France). AIC occupies an established technology position, in the vanguard of innovations in thermochromic and photochromic coatings systems. Ink Maker, Dec 2002, 80 (12), 8
TECHNOLOGY Dirk’s low-cost cenospheres from power-station fly-ash Dirk European Holdings Ltd has begun marketing cenospheres under the brandname Tecfil. Cenospheres are hollow vitreous spheres but quite thick walls. They are recoverable from the inorganic solid waste (fly-ash)
amassed by electrostatic precipitators at coal-fired power station flues. Cenospheres are low-density materials, with low acoustic and thermal conductivity. Typically, the softening temperature for cenospheres is of the order of 1200°C. They have high compressive strength and are generally chemically inert materials, so cenospheres are suitable for a variety of applications with fibre-reinforced plastics, fireretardant coatings, epoxy and phenolic resins, and mouldings. Dirk claims that cenospheres could be used as low-cost replacements for talc, clays, calcium carbonate, glass spheres and other silica fillers. Reinforced Plastics (London), Oct 2002, 46 (10), 16
DyStar launches world’s first fluorescent dye for cellulosic fibres DyStar has developed Remazol Fluorescent Yellow FL, said to be the world’s first fluorescent reactive dye for cellulosic fibres. Applications include high-visibility workwear, fashion-wear and sportswear. Fluorescent yellow shades can be dyed on to blends of cellulosics with polyester and polyamide. Also, the new product is compatible with the full range of Remazol and Levafix CA dyes. European Chemical News, 4 Nov 2002, 77 (2028), 33
Teknor’s black colour concentrate for PVC compounds Teknor Color Co has introduced a new black colour concentrate for polyvinyl chloride (PVC): CS-2001-3 Black. This offers uniform dispersion at higher loadings in the PVC carrier resin than traditional carbon blacks. So, throughout the melt processing, the pigment is distributed more consistently, according to the company. As a result, the CS-2001-3 Black offers higher productivity and proves to be ideal for manufacturers that are running faster and thinner wire and cable production. It reduces spark-outs and contains no lead or other heavy metals. It is also costefficient, as the versatile carrier resin can be used with a range of flexible and semi-rigid PVC compounds. Plastics Additives and Compounding, Oct 2002, 4 (10), 12
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American operations. The target is to generate annual operating savings of $6-7 M. Mr Haines said: “The North American business has been affected by higher resin prices, continuing competitive pressure and weak demand for value-added engineered products. The programme reflects the commitment of Schulman to excel in all its geographic markets.” Schulman describes itself as a “leading international supplier of highperformance plastic compounds and resins, which are used as raw materials in a variety of markets. Its principal product lines consist of proprietary and custom-formulated engineered plastic compounds, colour concentrates and additives that improve the appearance and performance of plastics in a number of specialised applications.” Altogether, the Schulman group employs approximately 2,300 employees and has 13 manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe, Mexico and the Asia/Pacific region. Press releases from: A.Schulman Inc, 3550 West Market Street, Akron, OH 44333, USA. Fax: +1 330 668 7204. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: http://www.aschulman.com (9 & 27 Jan 2003 & 5 Dec 2002)
Sun buys AIC, French producer of special effect pigments Sun Chemical (of Fort Lee, NJ, a subsidiary of Dainippon Ink & Chemicals) has acquired a 50% stake in Assemblage Intermoleculaire en Chimie Organique (AIC), which produces special effect organic pigments, additives and inks at Libourne (France). AIC occupies an established technology position, in the vanguard of innovations in thermochromic and photochromic coatings systems. Ink Maker, Dec 2002, 80 (12), 8
TECHNOLOGY Dirk’s low-cost cenospheres from power-station fly-ash Dirk European Holdings Ltd has begun marketing cenospheres under the brandname Tecfil. Cenospheres are hollow vitreous spheres but quite thick walls. They are recoverable from the inorganic solid waste (fly-ash)
amassed by electrostatic precipitators at coal-fired power station flues. Cenospheres are low-density materials, with low acoustic and thermal conductivity. Typically, the softening temperature for cenospheres is of the order of 1200°C. They have high compressive strength and are generally chemically inert materials, so cenospheres are suitable for a variety of applications with fibre-reinforced plastics, fireretardant coatings, epoxy and phenolic resins, and mouldings. Dirk claims that cenospheres could be used as low-cost replacements for talc, clays, calcium carbonate, glass spheres and other silica fillers. Reinforced Plastics (London), Oct 2002, 46 (10), 16
DyStar launches world’s first fluorescent dye for cellulosic fibres DyStar has developed Remazol Fluorescent Yellow FL, said to be the world’s first fluorescent reactive dye for cellulosic fibres. Applications include high-visibility workwear, fashion-wear and sportswear. Fluorescent yellow shades can be dyed on to blends of cellulosics with polyester and polyamide. Also, the new product is compatible with the full range of Remazol and Levafix CA dyes. European Chemical News, 4 Nov 2002, 77 (2028), 33
Teknor’s black colour concentrate for PVC compounds Teknor Color Co has introduced a new black colour concentrate for polyvinyl chloride (PVC): CS-2001-3 Black. This offers uniform dispersion at higher loadings in the PVC carrier resin than traditional carbon blacks. So, throughout the melt processing, the pigment is distributed more consistently, according to the company. As a result, the CS-2001-3 Black offers higher productivity and proves to be ideal for manufacturers that are running faster and thinner wire and cable production. It reduces spark-outs and contains no lead or other heavy metals. It is also costefficient, as the versatile carrier resin can be used with a range of flexible and semi-rigid PVC compounds. Plastics Additives and Compounding, Oct 2002, 4 (10), 12
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