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Germany: CalciTech — PCC
FOCUS could be a useful platform for facilitating the development of new products for construction and architectural applications. Chimie Hebdo, 23 Dec 2002, (197), 7 (in French)
China: Jiapu Chemical – CaCO3 Jiapu Chemical Co is raising its capacity for making light calcium carbonate at Zaozhuang (Shandong province) from 3000 tonnes/y to 15,000 tonnes/y. More than Yuan 4 M is being invested in this project. Testing of the new facilities has already begun and they should be ready for commercial-scale production in May or June 2003. Jiapu Chemical is a joint venture company, established by several investors and enterprises based in Shandong province and Hong Kong. Asian Chemical News, 9 Dec 2002, 9 (383), 24
China: Jingdezhen Kaimenzi & Hancheng Mining IDC – carbon black Jiangxi Jingdezhen Kaimenzi Group and Hancheng Mining Industry Development Co Ltd have agreed to invest RMB 260 M to build a new 100,000 tonnes/y carbon black plant at Hancheng (in the southern province of Jiangxi). Construction work began on 7 November 2002 and the plant should be ready for production in 2006. By then, annual output at Hancheng should be approaching 200,000 tonnes/y. Jingdezhen Kaimenzi already owns 90% of the shares in Black Cat Carbon Black Co Ltd, which it claims to be the second largest carbon black producer in China. China Chemical Reporter, 16 Dec 2002, 13 (35), 21
China: Panzhihua/Pangang – nanoparticulate TiO2 Panzhihua Iron & Steel Corp (aka Pangang) has brought into production a small unit for producing nanoparticulate TiO2. The unit is located at the company’s main TiO2 production site at Panzhihua (Sichuan province). Both rutile and anatase products are manufactured here, for use in plastics, paints, cosmetics and photocatalysis. China Chemical Reporter, 6 Jan 2003, 14 (1), 11
JANUARY 2003
ON
PIGMENTS
China: Qinghai West – zinc oxide Qinghai West Zinc Industry Co is about to commission a 2000 tonnes/y high purity zinc oxide plant. A project to build a 30,000 tonnes/y electrolytic zinc plating line is also nearing completion. A 50,000 tonnes/y sulfuric acid plant was brought on-stream here in mid-November 2002. Qinghai West Zinc Industry is expecting to achieve total production value of RMB 1.5 bn for the fiscal year 2003/04, with its pre-tax profit target set at RMB 300 M. China Chemical Reporter, 16 Dec 2002, 13 (35), 21
Czech Republic & Germany: Constab – plastics masterbatch Constab is to move its production of functional additive masterbatches and speciality plastic compounds from Reuthen (in Germany) to Silon (in the Czech Republic) with a view to cutting production costs. Constab’s production at Portsmouth (England) will be unaffected by the move. Plastics and Rubber Weekly, 6 Dec 2002, 2
Czech Republic: Nacoral – inorganic pigments Nacoral, a subsidiary of Shepherd Color (of the US), has put forward plans to build a new inorganic pigments plant at Lipnik-nad-Becvou. Investment in the new plant has been budgeted at $2-3 M. However, the local government authority in Lipnik has vetoed the plans, fearing excessive pollution of the River Becva. Nacoral claims that the environmental impact of the plant will be minimal and will probably appeal to the central government for permits to build and operate the plant. Hospodarske Noviny, 9 Jan 2003, 47 (6), 17 (in Czech)
Finland: Kemira – phosphogypsum as paper coating pigment Kemira Chemicals recovers a substantial amount of the phosphogypsum waste generated at its Siilinjärvi phosphoric acid plant and converts it into gypsum pigment for paper coating applications. Currently, Kemira has 80,000 tonnes/y of gypsum pigment capacity at Siilinjärvi.
This will be increased to 100,000 tonnes/y during 2003, as a result of a €5 M project. Within Kemira’s gypsum pigment portfolio is a product named Co-Coat, which has extremely high brightness. A new 20,000 tonnes/y line for making Co-Coat was installed in early 2002 and its capacity will probably be stepped up as part of the latest expansion programme. Kemira reports “double-digit percentage sales growth” for its gypsum coating pigments. As well as coating pigments, Kemira also supplies gypsum filler pigments – Calpak and Oparex – derived from mining operations at Besalu (Spain). In the field of gypsum pigments for papermaking, Kemira’s only competitors are a few small producers in South America. Gypsum pigments offers improved brightness, opacity and printability. They have a lower density than many other pigments which helps in the production of lighter paper. Altogether, Kemira forecasts world growth in paper pigments demand at 3% per annum over the next ten years. The company believes that world demand for gypsum pigments for papermaking could reach 300,000 tonnes/y. Press release from: Kemira Chemicals Oy Helsinki, Finland (19 Dec 2002) & Chimie Hebdo, 13 Jan 2003, (198), 10 (in French) & Chemical Market Reporter, 6 Jan 2003 (Website: http://www.chemicalmarketreporter.com)
Germany: CalciTech – PCC Further details have come to light regarding CalciTech’s proposed commercial-scale precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) project at Leuna, near Schopkau in eastern Germany. (See also Focus on Pigments, Dec 2002, 4). W.S.Atkins & Co has been appointed as managing contractor for the construction phase, which will begin in Spring 2004. The investment required for the 40,000 tonnes plant will be of the order of €12 M. Also, the capacity of the pilot-scale plant is only 800 tonnes/y, not 8000 tonnes/y, as reported previously. CalciTech is now evaluating the feasibility of setting up similar PCC plants at: Odda (Norway), Novacky (Slovakia) and various sites in Japan, China, Russia and the United States. Pulp and Paper International, Nov 2002, 44 (11), 1314 & Chimie Magazine, Nov 2002, (443), 29 (in French)
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China: Jiapu Chemical – CaCO3 Jiapu Chemical Co is raising its capacity for making light calcium carbonate at Zaozhuang (Shandong province) from 3000 tonnes/y to 15,000 tonnes/y. More than Yuan 4 M is being invested in this project. Testing of the new facilities has already begun and they should be ready for commercial-scale production in May or June 2003. Jiapu Chemical is a joint venture company, established by several investors and enterprises based in Shandong province and Hong Kong. Asian Chemical News, 9 Dec 2002, 9 (383), 24
China: Jingdezhen Kaimenzi & Hancheng Mining IDC – carbon black Jiangxi Jingdezhen Kaimenzi Group and Hancheng Mining Industry Development Co Ltd have agreed to invest RMB 260 M to build a new 100,000 tonnes/y carbon black plant at Hancheng (in the southern province of Jiangxi). Construction work began on 7 November 2002 and the plant should be ready for production in 2006. By then, annual output at Hancheng should be approaching 200,000 tonnes/y. Jingdezhen Kaimenzi already owns 90% of the shares in Black Cat Carbon Black Co Ltd, which it claims to be the second largest carbon black producer in China. China Chemical Reporter, 16 Dec 2002, 13 (35), 21
China: Panzhihua/Pangang – nanoparticulate TiO2 Panzhihua Iron & Steel Corp (aka Pangang) has brought into production a small unit for producing nanoparticulate TiO2. The unit is located at the company’s main TiO2 production site at Panzhihua (Sichuan province). Both rutile and anatase products are manufactured here, for use in plastics, paints, cosmetics and photocatalysis. China Chemical Reporter, 6 Jan 2003, 14 (1), 11
JANUARY 2003
ON
PIGMENTS
China: Qinghai West – zinc oxide Qinghai West Zinc Industry Co is about to commission a 2000 tonnes/y high purity zinc oxide plant. A project to build a 30,000 tonnes/y electrolytic zinc plating line is also nearing completion. A 50,000 tonnes/y sulfuric acid plant was brought on-stream here in mid-November 2002. Qinghai West Zinc Industry is expecting to achieve total production value of RMB 1.5 bn for the fiscal year 2003/04, with its pre-tax profit target set at RMB 300 M. China Chemical Reporter, 16 Dec 2002, 13 (35), 21
Czech Republic & Germany: Constab – plastics masterbatch Constab is to move its production of functional additive masterbatches and speciality plastic compounds from Reuthen (in Germany) to Silon (in the Czech Republic) with a view to cutting production costs. Constab’s production at Portsmouth (England) will be unaffected by the move. Plastics and Rubber Weekly, 6 Dec 2002, 2
Czech Republic: Nacoral – inorganic pigments Nacoral, a subsidiary of Shepherd Color (of the US), has put forward plans to build a new inorganic pigments plant at Lipnik-nad-Becvou. Investment in the new plant has been budgeted at $2-3 M. However, the local government authority in Lipnik has vetoed the plans, fearing excessive pollution of the River Becva. Nacoral claims that the environmental impact of the plant will be minimal and will probably appeal to the central government for permits to build and operate the plant. Hospodarske Noviny, 9 Jan 2003, 47 (6), 17 (in Czech)
Finland: Kemira – phosphogypsum as paper coating pigment Kemira Chemicals recovers a substantial amount of the phosphogypsum waste generated at its Siilinjärvi phosphoric acid plant and converts it into gypsum pigment for paper coating applications. Currently, Kemira has 80,000 tonnes/y of gypsum pigment capacity at Siilinjärvi.
This will be increased to 100,000 tonnes/y during 2003, as a result of a €5 M project. Within Kemira’s gypsum pigment portfolio is a product named Co-Coat, which has extremely high brightness. A new 20,000 tonnes/y line for making Co-Coat was installed in early 2002 and its capacity will probably be stepped up as part of the latest expansion programme. Kemira reports “double-digit percentage sales growth” for its gypsum coating pigments. As well as coating pigments, Kemira also supplies gypsum filler pigments – Calpak and Oparex – derived from mining operations at Besalu (Spain). In the field of gypsum pigments for papermaking, Kemira’s only competitors are a few small producers in South America. Gypsum pigments offers improved brightness, opacity and printability. They have a lower density than many other pigments which helps in the production of lighter paper. Altogether, Kemira forecasts world growth in paper pigments demand at 3% per annum over the next ten years. The company believes that world demand for gypsum pigments for papermaking could reach 300,000 tonnes/y. Press release from: Kemira Chemicals Oy Helsinki, Finland (19 Dec 2002) & Chimie Hebdo, 13 Jan 2003, (198), 10 (in French) & Chemical Market Reporter, 6 Jan 2003 (Website: http://www.chemicalmarketreporter.com)
Germany: CalciTech – PCC Further details have come to light regarding CalciTech’s proposed commercial-scale precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) project at Leuna, near Schopkau in eastern Germany. (See also Focus on Pigments, Dec 2002, 4). W.S.Atkins & Co has been appointed as managing contractor for the construction phase, which will begin in Spring 2004. The investment required for the 40,000 tonnes plant will be of the order of €12 M. Also, the capacity of the pilot-scale plant is only 800 tonnes/y, not 8000 tonnes/y, as reported previously. CalciTech is now evaluating the feasibility of setting up similar PCC plants at: Odda (Norway), Novacky (Slovakia) and various sites in Japan, China, Russia and the United States. Pulp and Paper International, Nov 2002, 44 (11), 1314 & Chimie Magazine, Nov 2002, (443), 29 (in French)
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