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Start-up of Ciba's DPP plant at Nanjing
F O C US membership extends to more than 60 countries. It is active in developing the understanding of colour and the ways in which colour is applied in industry, by promoting training, developing new ideas and testing procedures for industry and communicating information on colour through publications and events. ICIS Chemical Business, 26 Oct 2008, 34 (Website: http://icischemicalbusiness.com)
Tronox: Mr Dennis Wanlass Mr Tom Adams stepped down as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Tronox Inc (of Oklahoma City, US) on 15 August, just four days after announcing a record post-tax loss of $34.4 M for 2Q 2008. At that time, the company also stated: “If we continue to experience negative impacts on our operations, we may need to seek relief under Chapter 11 of the US Bankruptcy Code.” Tronox was floated as an independent entity in November 2005, inheriting Kerr-McGee’s chemical assets and its position as the world’s third largest TiO2 pigment producer. Mr Adams had been CEO at Tronox onwards from its creation and he also became Chairman in March 2006, following Kerr McGee’s move in relinquishing its last block of shares in Tronox. As well as the TiO2, sodium chlorate, manganese and boron chemical assets, Tronox also inherited most of Kerr-McGee’s liabilities for environmental remediation in respect of past activities in mining and processing uranium and thorium, timber treatment, vanadium processing, fertiliser manufacture and petroleum refining. Mr Wanlass joined Tronox in July 2008 as Executive Vice President. For the five years prior to 2006, he was CEO at Special Metals Corp, the world’s largest producer of nickel alloys, created as a spin-off from International Nickel Co (Inco). Special Metals Corp had been “in Chapter 11” during 2002/03, but it eventually emerged from bankruptcy thanks to restructuring measures implemented under the guidance of Mr Wanlass. Special Metals became a whollyowned subsidiary of Precision Castparts Corp (of Portland, OR) in May 2006. Earlier in his career, Mr Wanlass was with Geneva Steel,
JANUARY 2009
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Eastman Christensen and Klynveld, Peat, Marwick & Goerdeler (KPMG) Press Release from: Tronox Inc, Oklahoma City, OK 73102-7109, USA (15 Aug 2008) & ICIS Chemical Business, 30 Nov 2008, 12 (Website: http://icischemicalbusiness.com)
CORRECTIONS Start-up of Ciba’s DPP plant at Nanjing We previously reported that Ciba’s new high-performance pigments plant, due to open in 3Q 2008, was located at Qingdao. In fact, it is located at Nanjing. The new plant commenced trial operations in 3Q 2008, but construction of additional facilities is now underway and the project should be finally completed in 2010. The main product here is diketo-pyrrolo-pyrrole (DPP) pigment. The Nanjing project represents Ciba’s second largest project in Asia. Including Ciba’s DPP plant, there are now 13 major plants within the Nanjing Chemical Industry Park, each entailing investment of more than $10 M. In pointing out this correction, Ciba states: “The Nanjing Chemical Industry Park was ultimately selected on the basis of the long-term operational and technical requirements of the facility and an assessment of the existing chemical industry infrastructure. The Park has a strong focus on international chemical investments and an existing infrastructure that is ideally suited to the needs of the planned production site, and which will enable us to meet Ciba’s global standards of quality and environment, health and safety. When finished, the site will expand our capacity in high-performance products, further strengthening our overall global production network in Asia, and allow us to serve our customers in the Chinese market faster. Ciba also continues to manufacture classic azo pigments at its existing production site in Qingdao.”
Although Rockwood recently acquired Holliday Pigments from Yule Catto in August 2008 and it is currently integrating Holliday’s activities into its Color Pigments & Services Division, the North American distributors for Holliday’s ultramarine pigments remain the same – Brenntag Specialties Inc (BSI, of Plainfield, NJ) for US customers and LV Lomas Co (of Brampton, ON) for Canadian customers. Focus on Pigments, Dec 2008, 6
London won’t ban plastic carrier-bags after all
No change in distributors of Holliday’s ultramarine – Brenntag for the US & LV Lomas for Canada
London Councils, the consortium of the 33 London local government authorities, has withdrawn its Private Parliamentary Bill, seeking to totally prohibit the distribution of free disposable shopping-bags by any retailer in the Greater London area. The formal document had been signed by all 33 authorities in November 2007 and, as we reported in our editorial in last month’s issue, the Bill was expected to become law during Spring 2009. Cllr Merrick Cockell (leader of London Councils) said: “The aim was to rid our capital city of the environmental blight of plastic bags. But we have dropped the measure after the UK Government pledged to impose a minimum charge on carrier-bags if retailers collectively fail to make a significant reduction in the number of free carrier-bags issued to shoppers. The minimum charge would be imposed across England Before the Climate Change Bill became law on 26 November 2008, the Government moved various amendments, providing it with powers to effectively insist on a minimum charge for disposable carrier-bags. Ms Jane Kennedy, UK Minister for Farming & the Environment, promised to invoke these powers if retailers’ voluntary schemes fail to generate the required reduction. Nevertheless, plastic carrier-bag manufacturers (such as Polybags of Greenford), their customers and their pigment suppliers no doubt view the latest developments as a significant reprieve.
In a previous issue, we reported on Rockwood’s seven distributors for its coloured pigments in North America.
Focus on Pigments, Dec 2008, 1 & Press Release from: London Councils, 591/2 Southwark Street, London SE1 0AL, UK. Website: http://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk (26 Nov 2008)
Focus on Pigments, Jun 2008, 7
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Tronox: Mr Dennis Wanlass Mr Tom Adams stepped down as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Tronox Inc (of Oklahoma City, US) on 15 August, just four days after announcing a record post-tax loss of $34.4 M for 2Q 2008. At that time, the company also stated: “If we continue to experience negative impacts on our operations, we may need to seek relief under Chapter 11 of the US Bankruptcy Code.” Tronox was floated as an independent entity in November 2005, inheriting Kerr-McGee’s chemical assets and its position as the world’s third largest TiO2 pigment producer. Mr Adams had been CEO at Tronox onwards from its creation and he also became Chairman in March 2006, following Kerr McGee’s move in relinquishing its last block of shares in Tronox. As well as the TiO2, sodium chlorate, manganese and boron chemical assets, Tronox also inherited most of Kerr-McGee’s liabilities for environmental remediation in respect of past activities in mining and processing uranium and thorium, timber treatment, vanadium processing, fertiliser manufacture and petroleum refining. Mr Wanlass joined Tronox in July 2008 as Executive Vice President. For the five years prior to 2006, he was CEO at Special Metals Corp, the world’s largest producer of nickel alloys, created as a spin-off from International Nickel Co (Inco). Special Metals Corp had been “in Chapter 11” during 2002/03, but it eventually emerged from bankruptcy thanks to restructuring measures implemented under the guidance of Mr Wanlass. Special Metals became a whollyowned subsidiary of Precision Castparts Corp (of Portland, OR) in May 2006. Earlier in his career, Mr Wanlass was with Geneva Steel,
JANUARY 2009
O N
PIGMENTS
Eastman Christensen and Klynveld, Peat, Marwick & Goerdeler (KPMG) Press Release from: Tronox Inc, Oklahoma City, OK 73102-7109, USA (15 Aug 2008) & ICIS Chemical Business, 30 Nov 2008, 12 (Website: http://icischemicalbusiness.com)
CORRECTIONS Start-up of Ciba’s DPP plant at Nanjing We previously reported that Ciba’s new high-performance pigments plant, due to open in 3Q 2008, was located at Qingdao. In fact, it is located at Nanjing. The new plant commenced trial operations in 3Q 2008, but construction of additional facilities is now underway and the project should be finally completed in 2010. The main product here is diketo-pyrrolo-pyrrole (DPP) pigment. The Nanjing project represents Ciba’s second largest project in Asia. Including Ciba’s DPP plant, there are now 13 major plants within the Nanjing Chemical Industry Park, each entailing investment of more than $10 M. In pointing out this correction, Ciba states: “The Nanjing Chemical Industry Park was ultimately selected on the basis of the long-term operational and technical requirements of the facility and an assessment of the existing chemical industry infrastructure. The Park has a strong focus on international chemical investments and an existing infrastructure that is ideally suited to the needs of the planned production site, and which will enable us to meet Ciba’s global standards of quality and environment, health and safety. When finished, the site will expand our capacity in high-performance products, further strengthening our overall global production network in Asia, and allow us to serve our customers in the Chinese market faster. Ciba also continues to manufacture classic azo pigments at its existing production site in Qingdao.”
Although Rockwood recently acquired Holliday Pigments from Yule Catto in August 2008 and it is currently integrating Holliday’s activities into its Color Pigments & Services Division, the North American distributors for Holliday’s ultramarine pigments remain the same – Brenntag Specialties Inc (BSI, of Plainfield, NJ) for US customers and LV Lomas Co (of Brampton, ON) for Canadian customers. Focus on Pigments, Dec 2008, 6
London won’t ban plastic carrier-bags after all
No change in distributors of Holliday’s ultramarine – Brenntag for the US & LV Lomas for Canada
London Councils, the consortium of the 33 London local government authorities, has withdrawn its Private Parliamentary Bill, seeking to totally prohibit the distribution of free disposable shopping-bags by any retailer in the Greater London area. The formal document had been signed by all 33 authorities in November 2007 and, as we reported in our editorial in last month’s issue, the Bill was expected to become law during Spring 2009. Cllr Merrick Cockell (leader of London Councils) said: “The aim was to rid our capital city of the environmental blight of plastic bags. But we have dropped the measure after the UK Government pledged to impose a minimum charge on carrier-bags if retailers collectively fail to make a significant reduction in the number of free carrier-bags issued to shoppers. The minimum charge would be imposed across England Before the Climate Change Bill became law on 26 November 2008, the Government moved various amendments, providing it with powers to effectively insist on a minimum charge for disposable carrier-bags. Ms Jane Kennedy, UK Minister for Farming & the Environment, promised to invoke these powers if retailers’ voluntary schemes fail to generate the required reduction. Nevertheless, plastic carrier-bag manufacturers (such as Polybags of Greenford), their customers and their pigment suppliers no doubt view the latest developments as a significant reprieve.
In a previous issue, we reported on Rockwood’s seven distributors for its coloured pigments in North America.
Focus on Pigments, Dec 2008, 1 & Press Release from: London Councils, 591/2 Southwark Street, London SE1 0AL, UK. Website: http://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk (26 Nov 2008)
Focus on Pigments, Jun 2008, 7
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