- Email: [email protected]
Germany: Sued Chemie – hydrotalcite
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FOCUS China: DyStar – textile colorants DyStar celebrated the opening of its new $55 M plant for textile colorants at Nanjing (Jiangsu province) on 25 October 2006. At this plant, DyStar is producing: Remazol reactive dyes, Indanthren vat dyes, Astrazon cationic dyes and 40% indigo solution. The $55 M spent on the Nanjing plant represents the second largest focus of foreign investment by DyStar, the largest being the Gabus plant in Indonesia. Meanwhile, Platinum Equity (the private equity fund, based in Los Angeles, which owns DyStar) has appointed Mr Mark Bye as DyStar’s new President and Chief Executive, replacing Mr Phil Norment and Dr Rudolf Strobl. China Chemical Reporter, 6 Nov 2006, 17 (31), 12
China: Nippon Kayaku – dyes Wuxi Advanced Kayaku Chemical (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nippon Kayaku) is trebling its capacity at Wuxi (Jiangsu province) to 12,000 tonnes/y. Current capacity includes: 2000 tonnes/y of disperse dyes, 1000 tonnes/y of reactive and direct dyes, plus 1000 tonnes/y of various reagents and auxiliary chemicals. For full-year 2006, exports will represent about 60% of Wuxi’s total sales revenue, but domestic demand is growing strongly, driven by China’s rising exports of dyed fabrics and finished textile products. Japan Chemical Week, 5 Oct 2006, 47 (2386), 12
China: PolyOne – masterbatch PolyOne now has a fourth manufacturing site in China - at Dongguan (Guangdong province) - as a result of acquiring the vinyl compounding assets of Ngai Hing Hong (of HongKong). PolyOne will establish a new operating company to run the plant, in which Ngai Hing Hong will have a 5% shareholding. As part of the deal, PolyOne will receive 6 M common shares of Ngai Hing Hong. PolyOne’s existing operations in China include: a colour and additive masterbatch plant in Shanghai; an engineering plastics compounding facility at Suzhou and a polymer coating systems unit at Shenzhen. Elsewhere in Asia, PolyOne has an
FEBRUARY 2007
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engineered materials plant in Singapore and a colour and additive masterbatch plant in Thailand. PolyOne claims to be the world’s leading supplier of specialised polymer materials, compounds and masterbatches, but in 2005 only about 4% of its $2.5 bn sales revenue was sourced from Asian manufacturing facilities. Plastics News, 26 Oct 2006, (Website: http://www.plasticsnews.com) & Press Release from: PolyOne Corp, 200 Public Square, Suite 36-5000, Cleveland, OH 44114, USA. Website: http://www.polyone.com (26 Oct 2006)
China: Shandong Shengda – nanoparticulate CaCO3 Construction work on plant on a 100,000 tonnes/y nanoparticulate calcium carbonate plant at Haize Industry Park at Xianyang (Shaanxi province) commenced in January 2003 and it was completed by the end of October 2006. The plant uses membrane dispersing microstructural reactors for making nanoparticulate calcium carbonate, employing the “supergravity process” developed by Tsinghua University. of Chemical Technology. The operating company is Shandong Shengda Science and Technology Co Ltd. In a second phase of the project, capacity will be raised to 160,000 tonnes/y by the end of 2007. Nanoparticulate calcium carbonate produced here will be used in the tyre, rubber, plastic and printing ink sectors. China Chemical Reporter, 6 Nov 2006, 17 (31), 14
China: Stahl - leather colorants In September 2006, Stahl (with headquarters at Waalwijk, Netherlands) opened a new $18 M plant at Suzhou for manufacturing more than 17,000 tonnes/y of acrylates, pigments and coating emulsions for the leather and shoemaking industry. Stahl was originally part of the Avecia (formerly Zeneca) group, but it is now owned 50:50 by Oranje Nassau (part of the Wendel Investissements group) and Carlyle (the US-based private equity fund). Farbe und Lack, Oct 2006, 112 (10), 22 (in German)
Germany: Bruchsaler – Bi vanadate In October 2006, Bruchsaler Farbenfabrik GmbH & Co KG opened a new unit for making bismuth
vanadate pigment at its Bruchsal plant, 20 km northeast of Karlsruhe. The company continues to manufacture a range of chrome yellow and molybdenum red and orange pigments, as well as offering bismuth vanadate for customers seeking a lead-free alternative. Farbe und Lack, Dec 2006, 112 (12), 16 (in German)
Germany: CalciTech – PCC CalciTech (of Switzerland) is moving ahead with a project to build a 100,000 tonnes/y precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) plant at Leuna, near Schopkau in Sachsen-Anhalt. The plant would employ Kemgas technology to convert waste carbide lime into PCC. Over the past four years, CalciTech has been running a pilot plant at Leuna, producing 8000 tonnes/y of PCC. Capital investment for a new 100,000 tonnes/y has been assessed at €41.25 M and CalciTech could receive a grant of up to €18.6 M under an EU programme to support industrial investment in deprived areas such as Sachsen-Anhalt. Industrial Minerals, Nov 2006, (470), 9
Germany: Lanxess – iron oxide pigments In a profile of Lanxess, ‘DL’ reports the company’s current iron oxide pigments capacity at KrefeldUerdingen as 240,000 tonnes/y. Iron oxide pigments have been manufactured at the Uerdingen site since 1926 and the current portfolio includes more than 100 different colour shades. About €115 M has been spent on new capital plant and equipment at Uerdingen since 1995 and more than €165 M has been spent on maintenance. Meanwhile, Lanxess’ smaller iron oxide pigments facility – at New Martinsville, VA (United States) – was closed towards the end of 2005. Double Liaison, Nov 2006, 553 (5), 18-19 (in French)
Germany: Sued Chemie – hydrotalcite Sued Chemie (of Munich, a subsidiary within the Rockwood group) plans to treble its capacity for hydrotalcite at Moosburg from 5000 tonnes/y to 15,000 tonnes/y by 2008. Sued Chemie markets its hydrotalcite under the Sorbacid and Hycite brandnames
5
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FOCUS as a substitute for lead-based stabilisers for polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Hydrotalcite is also used as a filler for plastic cable sheathing, foils and profiles. Industrial Minerals, Nov 2006, (470), 8
Hungary: Columbian – carbon black Columbian Tiszai Carbon (a whollyowned subsidiary of Columbian Chemicals) has declared that it will spend $10 M to expand its Tiszaujvaros carbon black plant. The plant currently produces tyre tread and tyre carcass grades of carbon black. The capacity for both types of product will be raised, but details have not been revealed. Total carbon black capacity at Tiszaujvaros is listed as 65,000 tonnes/y at present and the expansion is expected to raise capacity to 90,000-105,000 tonnes/y. Columbian Tiszai reported sales revenue for 2006 at around $60 M. Rubber and Plastics News, 11 Dec 2006, 36 (10), 13 & Chimie Pharma Hebdo, 8 Jan 2007, (366), 10 (in French)
India: Aditya Birla Novo – carbon black Aditya Birla Novo has declared that its Rup 1.05 bn expansion project at Gummidipoondi should be completed by June 2007. The company states that the project will add 55,000 tonnes/y at Gummidipoondi, bringing its total carbon black capacity at Gummidipoondi (Tamil Nadu province) and Renukoot (Uttar Pradesh province) to 170,000 tonnes/y. These capacity figures are slightly higher than those reported when the project was first announced (see ‘Focus on Pigments’, Mar 2006, 2). Aditya Birla Novo confirmed that it is still evaluating options for a 60,000 tonnes/y carbon black plant to be built on a greenfields site in western India, probably within Gujarat province. ICIS Chemical Business, 30 Oct 2006, (Website: http://icischemicalbusiness.com)
India: Gulshan – GCC & PCC Gulshan Sugars & Chemicals Ltd (GSCL, of Delhi) plans to install a 20,000 tonnes/y ground calcium carbonate (GCC) plant at Bhadrachalam (Andhra Pradesh province), with most of the output committed to the papermaker, ITC
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Ltd. Gulshan will also install a captive 3 MW power generating facility here. Gulshan’s investment in the project is budgeted at $6.7 M. The GCC plant should come on-stream in March 2007. Meanwhile, Gulsan will continue to make up to 70,000 tonnes/y of ground and precipitated calcium carbonates at Muzaffarnagar (Uttar Pradesh province). The company offers 19 separate grades of carbonate. It is also studying options to establish a new export-oriented plant at a coastal location. Chemical Weekly, 5 Dec 2006, 52 (16), 12 & Business Line, 19 Nov 2006, 13 (319), 11
India: Meghmani – organic pigments Meghmani Organics is a manufacturer of organic pigments and pesticides which took a listing on the Singapore Stock Exchange in August 2004. Net profit has been rising at 20%/y, reaching Rup 350 M in the year to end-March 2006. The company recently declared its intention to raise Rup 1 bn or about $22 M by the end of March 2007 via a shares offering in Mumbai. With the fresh injection of capital, Meghmani will step up its pigments capacity. About Rup 150 M has been earmarked for the trebling of its high-performance organic pigments capacity from 100 tonnes/y to 300 tonnes/y. About Rup 250 M has been earmarked for debottlenecking and raising productivity at Meghmani’s pesticide plants. Up to Rup 400 M has been earmarked for acquisitions of companies in the pigment or pesticide sectors, including a pigment plant in China. Chemical Weekly, 10 Oct 2006, 52 (8), 122
India: OPaL – carbon black feedstock ONGC Petro-additions Ltd (OPaL) has been established, with the aim of operating petrochemical complexes at Danej (Gujarat province) and Mangalore (Karnataka province). OPaL is owned 26% by Oil & Natural Gas Corp, 5% by Gujarat State Petroleum Corp and 69% by a variety of other investors. The $3 bn complex at Danej is scheduled for completion in mid-2010, with facilities for: 360,000 tonnes/y of propylene; 1.1 M tonnes/y of ethylene; 135,000 tonnes/y of benzene; 225,000 tonnes/y of butadiene; 35,000 tonnes/y of
butene-1; 135,000 tonnes/y of pyrolysis gasoline and 75,000 tonnes/y of carbon black feedstock oil. ICIS Chemical Business, 30 Oct 2006, (Website: http://icischemicalbusiness.com)
India: Saraf & Technokhim – TiO2 feedstock & pigment JSC Tekhnokhim (of Moscow) has confirmed that it will invest Rup 1.925 bn and will take a 55% stake in a joint venture with Saraf Agencies (of Kolkata) aimed at establishing an integrated sands-to-ilmenite complex in Orissa province. The project entails mining ilmenite and converting the entire output to TiO2 slag, which will then be used for the on-site manufacture of titanium sponge metal and TiO2 pigments. The pigment plant will be designed to produce 40,000 tonnes/y of TiO2 pigments, of which 30,000 tonnes/y will be exported to Russia. The ilmenite smelter will generate 108,000 tonnes/y of TiO2 slag, of which 45,000 tonnes/y will be exported to Russia. The titanium sponge metal plant will produce 10,000 tonnes/y. Chemical Weekly, 10 Oct 2006, 52 (8), 126 & Kommersant, 25 Jan 2007, (9), 13 (in Russian)
Israel: Dimona – precipitated silica & calcium carbonate The announcement by ‘CW’ that Dimona Silica Industries (DSI) had completed construction of a full-scale plant for processing porcellanite to make Dimosil precipitated silica was a little premature. (See ‘Focus on Pigments’, Nov 2006, 6). In fact, DSI has started-up a pilot-scale facility, rated at 500 kilos per day, producing samples of precipitated silica for testing by a number of multinational tyre manufacturers. The facility is located at Dimona in the Negev Desert and the porcellanite raw material is a by-product from local phosphate rock mining. Customers have already expressed a lot of interest in Dimosil and DSI has now begun building a commercial-scale plant which will produce 40,000 tonnes/y of precipitated silica plus 35,000 tonnes/y of precipitated calcium carbonate. The company is also establishing its own power station in order to reduce the high costs of
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FOCUS China: DyStar – textile colorants DyStar celebrated the opening of its new $55 M plant for textile colorants at Nanjing (Jiangsu province) on 25 October 2006. At this plant, DyStar is producing: Remazol reactive dyes, Indanthren vat dyes, Astrazon cationic dyes and 40% indigo solution. The $55 M spent on the Nanjing plant represents the second largest focus of foreign investment by DyStar, the largest being the Gabus plant in Indonesia. Meanwhile, Platinum Equity (the private equity fund, based in Los Angeles, which owns DyStar) has appointed Mr Mark Bye as DyStar’s new President and Chief Executive, replacing Mr Phil Norment and Dr Rudolf Strobl. China Chemical Reporter, 6 Nov 2006, 17 (31), 12
China: Nippon Kayaku – dyes Wuxi Advanced Kayaku Chemical (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nippon Kayaku) is trebling its capacity at Wuxi (Jiangsu province) to 12,000 tonnes/y. Current capacity includes: 2000 tonnes/y of disperse dyes, 1000 tonnes/y of reactive and direct dyes, plus 1000 tonnes/y of various reagents and auxiliary chemicals. For full-year 2006, exports will represent about 60% of Wuxi’s total sales revenue, but domestic demand is growing strongly, driven by China’s rising exports of dyed fabrics and finished textile products. Japan Chemical Week, 5 Oct 2006, 47 (2386), 12
China: PolyOne – masterbatch PolyOne now has a fourth manufacturing site in China - at Dongguan (Guangdong province) - as a result of acquiring the vinyl compounding assets of Ngai Hing Hong (of HongKong). PolyOne will establish a new operating company to run the plant, in which Ngai Hing Hong will have a 5% shareholding. As part of the deal, PolyOne will receive 6 M common shares of Ngai Hing Hong. PolyOne’s existing operations in China include: a colour and additive masterbatch plant in Shanghai; an engineering plastics compounding facility at Suzhou and a polymer coating systems unit at Shenzhen. Elsewhere in Asia, PolyOne has an
FEBRUARY 2007
ON
PIGMENTS
engineered materials plant in Singapore and a colour and additive masterbatch plant in Thailand. PolyOne claims to be the world’s leading supplier of specialised polymer materials, compounds and masterbatches, but in 2005 only about 4% of its $2.5 bn sales revenue was sourced from Asian manufacturing facilities. Plastics News, 26 Oct 2006, (Website: http://www.plasticsnews.com) & Press Release from: PolyOne Corp, 200 Public Square, Suite 36-5000, Cleveland, OH 44114, USA. Website: http://www.polyone.com (26 Oct 2006)
China: Shandong Shengda – nanoparticulate CaCO3 Construction work on plant on a 100,000 tonnes/y nanoparticulate calcium carbonate plant at Haize Industry Park at Xianyang (Shaanxi province) commenced in January 2003 and it was completed by the end of October 2006. The plant uses membrane dispersing microstructural reactors for making nanoparticulate calcium carbonate, employing the “supergravity process” developed by Tsinghua University. of Chemical Technology. The operating company is Shandong Shengda Science and Technology Co Ltd. In a second phase of the project, capacity will be raised to 160,000 tonnes/y by the end of 2007. Nanoparticulate calcium carbonate produced here will be used in the tyre, rubber, plastic and printing ink sectors. China Chemical Reporter, 6 Nov 2006, 17 (31), 14
China: Stahl - leather colorants In September 2006, Stahl (with headquarters at Waalwijk, Netherlands) opened a new $18 M plant at Suzhou for manufacturing more than 17,000 tonnes/y of acrylates, pigments and coating emulsions for the leather and shoemaking industry. Stahl was originally part of the Avecia (formerly Zeneca) group, but it is now owned 50:50 by Oranje Nassau (part of the Wendel Investissements group) and Carlyle (the US-based private equity fund). Farbe und Lack, Oct 2006, 112 (10), 22 (in German)
Germany: Bruchsaler – Bi vanadate In October 2006, Bruchsaler Farbenfabrik GmbH & Co KG opened a new unit for making bismuth
vanadate pigment at its Bruchsal plant, 20 km northeast of Karlsruhe. The company continues to manufacture a range of chrome yellow and molybdenum red and orange pigments, as well as offering bismuth vanadate for customers seeking a lead-free alternative. Farbe und Lack, Dec 2006, 112 (12), 16 (in German)
Germany: CalciTech – PCC CalciTech (of Switzerland) is moving ahead with a project to build a 100,000 tonnes/y precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) plant at Leuna, near Schopkau in Sachsen-Anhalt. The plant would employ Kemgas technology to convert waste carbide lime into PCC. Over the past four years, CalciTech has been running a pilot plant at Leuna, producing 8000 tonnes/y of PCC. Capital investment for a new 100,000 tonnes/y has been assessed at €41.25 M and CalciTech could receive a grant of up to €18.6 M under an EU programme to support industrial investment in deprived areas such as Sachsen-Anhalt. Industrial Minerals, Nov 2006, (470), 9
Germany: Lanxess – iron oxide pigments In a profile of Lanxess, ‘DL’ reports the company’s current iron oxide pigments capacity at KrefeldUerdingen as 240,000 tonnes/y. Iron oxide pigments have been manufactured at the Uerdingen site since 1926 and the current portfolio includes more than 100 different colour shades. About €115 M has been spent on new capital plant and equipment at Uerdingen since 1995 and more than €165 M has been spent on maintenance. Meanwhile, Lanxess’ smaller iron oxide pigments facility – at New Martinsville, VA (United States) – was closed towards the end of 2005. Double Liaison, Nov 2006, 553 (5), 18-19 (in French)
Germany: Sued Chemie – hydrotalcite Sued Chemie (of Munich, a subsidiary within the Rockwood group) plans to treble its capacity for hydrotalcite at Moosburg from 5000 tonnes/y to 15,000 tonnes/y by 2008. Sued Chemie markets its hydrotalcite under the Sorbacid and Hycite brandnames
5
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FOCUS as a substitute for lead-based stabilisers for polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Hydrotalcite is also used as a filler for plastic cable sheathing, foils and profiles. Industrial Minerals, Nov 2006, (470), 8
Hungary: Columbian – carbon black Columbian Tiszai Carbon (a whollyowned subsidiary of Columbian Chemicals) has declared that it will spend $10 M to expand its Tiszaujvaros carbon black plant. The plant currently produces tyre tread and tyre carcass grades of carbon black. The capacity for both types of product will be raised, but details have not been revealed. Total carbon black capacity at Tiszaujvaros is listed as 65,000 tonnes/y at present and the expansion is expected to raise capacity to 90,000-105,000 tonnes/y. Columbian Tiszai reported sales revenue for 2006 at around $60 M. Rubber and Plastics News, 11 Dec 2006, 36 (10), 13 & Chimie Pharma Hebdo, 8 Jan 2007, (366), 10 (in French)
India: Aditya Birla Novo – carbon black Aditya Birla Novo has declared that its Rup 1.05 bn expansion project at Gummidipoondi should be completed by June 2007. The company states that the project will add 55,000 tonnes/y at Gummidipoondi, bringing its total carbon black capacity at Gummidipoondi (Tamil Nadu province) and Renukoot (Uttar Pradesh province) to 170,000 tonnes/y. These capacity figures are slightly higher than those reported when the project was first announced (see ‘Focus on Pigments’, Mar 2006, 2). Aditya Birla Novo confirmed that it is still evaluating options for a 60,000 tonnes/y carbon black plant to be built on a greenfields site in western India, probably within Gujarat province. ICIS Chemical Business, 30 Oct 2006, (Website: http://icischemicalbusiness.com)
India: Gulshan – GCC & PCC Gulshan Sugars & Chemicals Ltd (GSCL, of Delhi) plans to install a 20,000 tonnes/y ground calcium carbonate (GCC) plant at Bhadrachalam (Andhra Pradesh province), with most of the output committed to the papermaker, ITC
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Ltd. Gulshan will also install a captive 3 MW power generating facility here. Gulshan’s investment in the project is budgeted at $6.7 M. The GCC plant should come on-stream in March 2007. Meanwhile, Gulsan will continue to make up to 70,000 tonnes/y of ground and precipitated calcium carbonates at Muzaffarnagar (Uttar Pradesh province). The company offers 19 separate grades of carbonate. It is also studying options to establish a new export-oriented plant at a coastal location. Chemical Weekly, 5 Dec 2006, 52 (16), 12 & Business Line, 19 Nov 2006, 13 (319), 11
India: Meghmani – organic pigments Meghmani Organics is a manufacturer of organic pigments and pesticides which took a listing on the Singapore Stock Exchange in August 2004. Net profit has been rising at 20%/y, reaching Rup 350 M in the year to end-March 2006. The company recently declared its intention to raise Rup 1 bn or about $22 M by the end of March 2007 via a shares offering in Mumbai. With the fresh injection of capital, Meghmani will step up its pigments capacity. About Rup 150 M has been earmarked for the trebling of its high-performance organic pigments capacity from 100 tonnes/y to 300 tonnes/y. About Rup 250 M has been earmarked for debottlenecking and raising productivity at Meghmani’s pesticide plants. Up to Rup 400 M has been earmarked for acquisitions of companies in the pigment or pesticide sectors, including a pigment plant in China. Chemical Weekly, 10 Oct 2006, 52 (8), 122
India: OPaL – carbon black feedstock ONGC Petro-additions Ltd (OPaL) has been established, with the aim of operating petrochemical complexes at Danej (Gujarat province) and Mangalore (Karnataka province). OPaL is owned 26% by Oil & Natural Gas Corp, 5% by Gujarat State Petroleum Corp and 69% by a variety of other investors. The $3 bn complex at Danej is scheduled for completion in mid-2010, with facilities for: 360,000 tonnes/y of propylene; 1.1 M tonnes/y of ethylene; 135,000 tonnes/y of benzene; 225,000 tonnes/y of butadiene; 35,000 tonnes/y of
butene-1; 135,000 tonnes/y of pyrolysis gasoline and 75,000 tonnes/y of carbon black feedstock oil. ICIS Chemical Business, 30 Oct 2006, (Website: http://icischemicalbusiness.com)
India: Saraf & Technokhim – TiO2 feedstock & pigment JSC Tekhnokhim (of Moscow) has confirmed that it will invest Rup 1.925 bn and will take a 55% stake in a joint venture with Saraf Agencies (of Kolkata) aimed at establishing an integrated sands-to-ilmenite complex in Orissa province. The project entails mining ilmenite and converting the entire output to TiO2 slag, which will then be used for the on-site manufacture of titanium sponge metal and TiO2 pigments. The pigment plant will be designed to produce 40,000 tonnes/y of TiO2 pigments, of which 30,000 tonnes/y will be exported to Russia. The ilmenite smelter will generate 108,000 tonnes/y of TiO2 slag, of which 45,000 tonnes/y will be exported to Russia. The titanium sponge metal plant will produce 10,000 tonnes/y. Chemical Weekly, 10 Oct 2006, 52 (8), 126 & Kommersant, 25 Jan 2007, (9), 13 (in Russian)
Israel: Dimona – precipitated silica & calcium carbonate The announcement by ‘CW’ that Dimona Silica Industries (DSI) had completed construction of a full-scale plant for processing porcellanite to make Dimosil precipitated silica was a little premature. (See ‘Focus on Pigments’, Nov 2006, 6). In fact, DSI has started-up a pilot-scale facility, rated at 500 kilos per day, producing samples of precipitated silica for testing by a number of multinational tyre manufacturers. The facility is located at Dimona in the Negev Desert and the porcellanite raw material is a by-product from local phosphate rock mining. Customers have already expressed a lot of interest in Dimosil and DSI has now begun building a commercial-scale plant which will produce 40,000 tonnes/y of precipitated silica plus 35,000 tonnes/y of precipitated calcium carbonate. The company is also establishing its own power station in order to reduce the high costs of
FEBRUARY 2007