- Email: [email protected]
Thailand: Thai Epoxy Allied Products & Aditya Birla — carbon black
F O C US of electrical and office equipment, which have opened up Chinese manufacturing operations in recent years. Matsui’s investment in the project is assesssed as around $3 M. Matsui also has a stake in a plastic colorants venture in Malaysia. (See ‘Focus on Pigments’, Jan 2001, 6). Japan Chemical Week, 28 Mar 2002, 43 (2165), 5
China: Tianhong – phthalo blue Tianhong Chemical Industrial Co Ltd has recently brought on-stream a 2000 tonnes/y phthalocyanine blue plant in the central inland province of Gansu. Tianhong’s plant uses solventfree turbulent-flow synthesis technology, achieving a product recovery efficiency of more than 98%. The technology also has the advantage of generating hardly any pollution. China Chemical Reporter, 6 Apr 2002, 13 (10), 21
France: Viba – masterbatch Viba (of Milan) has opened a new plastics masterbatch plant at Forbach (in the Moselle district). The project required investment of €9 M, including €5.4 M for machinery and €3.6 M for construction and civil engineering. Initial capacity at Forbach is 700 tonnes/y and this is due to be increased gradually to 4000 tonnes/y by 2004. The workforce here will be increased from 50 to 70. The Viba group was established in 1973 and it now has masterbatch capacity in excess of 50,000 tonnes/y, with plants in France, Hungary, Italy and Spain. Its masterbatch range is marketed under the brandname Vibatan. The group’s total sales last year reached €84 M, of which 75% was accounted for by masterbatches and 25% by speciality plastics. Info Chimie Magazine, May 2002, (438), 36 & Plastiques et Elastomères Magazine, Apr 2002, 54 (3), 38 (in French)
Germany: CalciTech – PCC CalciTech (of Ferney Voltaire, near the Swiss border) has contracted W S Atkins Consultants Ltd to complete the design for a new precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) plant to be built at
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an undisclosed location in Germany.. The plant will employ Kemgas technology, using carbon dioxide and waste-stream carbide lime. The viability of this technology has already been demonstrated at a plant operated by Kemgas itself on the InfraLeuna site near Schopkau in eastern Germany. (See also ‘Focus on Pigments’, Jun 2000, 3). Highbrightness PCC will be generated for sale as an ultra-fine premium coating pigment for paper applications. Industrial Minerals, Apr 2002, (415), 15-17
India: Clariant – masterbatch For the nine months to end-December 2001, Clariant India recorded a net profit of Rup 158 M on sales of Rup 2.274 bn. That compares against Rup 126 M on Rup 2.083 bn for the equivalent period of 2000. The commissioning of a new plastics masterbatch plant at Kolshet is expected to make an important contribution to profits this year. No details have been given of the size of this new plant. Business Line, 12 May 2002, 9 (131), 13
Saudi Arabia: Al Zamil – carbon black The Al Zamil group has appointed Jacobs Engineering to prepare documents relating to “invitations to bid” in respect of its planned carbon black plant, to be built at Al Jubail. The Al Zamil group intends to sell off up to 50% of its shareholding in the carbon black project to an unnamed foreign investor. No details have been given as to scale of the plant, but it should be on-stream in 2Q or 3Q 2004. Asian Chemical News, 15 Apr 2002, 8 (353), 24
South Africa: Huntsman Tioxide – TiO2 Huntsman Tioxide is paying Rand 84 M to buy-out AECI’s 40% minority stake in the Umbogintwini TiO2 pigment plant. Completion of the deal should take place before the end of June 2002. The plant, commissioned in 1962, employs sulfate-route technology and currently has a capacity of 40,000 tonnes/y. Capacity utilisation here increased from below 80% to 80-90% during 2001. Shipments of pigment from
Umbogintwini typically go to customers in South Africa, sub-Saharan Africa and the US. Following this move, which gives Huntsman Tioxide 100% control, the company intends to upgrade the Umbogintwini plant and increase its capacity. Chemical Week, 24 Apr 2002, 164 (17), 15 & European Chemical News, 22 Apr 2002, 76 (2002), 7
Sweden: Push Development, Tricorona & Svenska Kaolin Tricorona, the original sponsor of the 200,000-500,000 tonnes/y kaolin project at Billinge (near Eslöv in southern Sweden) is facing financial difficulties. Föreningssparbanken has withdrawn its loan facilities, accentuating Tricorona’s need to raise funds. Push Development acquired 15.6% of Tricorona’s voting shares and 3.75% of the company’s equity in February 2002 and it is determined to help Tricorona to sell off its Woxna graphite business, raising up to SKR 25 M. Meanwhile, the Billinge project has been entrusted to Svenska Kaolin, a separate entity floated on the Gothenburg Stock Exchange in October 2001. Proposals to mine 200,000-500,000 tonnes/y of kaolin over a minelife of 100 years were rejected by the Environmental Court in Växö last year, but Push Development aims to modify the project parameters and then resubmit it for approval. Dagens Industri, 8 Apr 2002 (Website: http://di.se/NoFlash.asp) (in Swedish)
Thailand: Thai Epoxy Allied Products & Aditya Birla – carbon black Thai Carbon Black (TCB) plans to spend $18.2 M to increase its carbon black capacity at Ang Thong from 150,000 tonnes/y to 200,000 tonnes/y by 2003. The Aditya Birla group (of India) has a 50% stake in TCB; Thai Epoxy Allied Products (TEC) is also a significant shareholder in TCB. Last year, TCB reported net profit at $9 M on sales of $79.5 M, compared against $7.8 M and $60.2 M in 2000. To extend its participation in the carbon black industry, TEC is negotiating to buy an unidentified smaller producer, with a capacity of
MAY 2002
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around 20,000 tonnes/y of carbon black. The value of this acquisition has been estimated at around $4-5 M.
have been provided on production volume. The cost of the relocation and capacity expansion was $2.8 M.
APCJ, Asia Pacific Coatings Journal, Apr 2002, 15 (2), 12-14
Plastics News, 30 Apr 2002 (Website: http://www.plasticsnews.com)
UK & Brazil: Imerys – kaolin Imerys (of Paris) has announced plans for a major restructuring of its kaolin mining activities in Devon and Cornwall. In future, it will only produce kaolin pigment grades to supply the paint, chemical and plastics markets. It will cease producing grades for the paper sector here, effectively transferring production to its Brazilian operations. Imerys plans to produce just over 2 M tonnes of kaolin in southwestern England this year. The Imerys group was created in mid1999 following the £756 M takeover of the worldwide business of English China Clays. European Rubber Journal, Apr 2002, 184 (4), 17
US: Huber & Sparta – kaolin Kaoclay Resources Inc (of Canada) has signed an agreement with J.M.Huber Corp, whereby Huber will evaluate and eventually develop kaolin deposits in South Carolina and Georgia identified by Sparta Kaolin (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kaoclay Resources). Kaoclay had made it clear on several occasions that it had no intenton of becoming a kaolin producer in its own right. (See also ‘Focus on Pigments’, Aug 2001, 5). The initial set of test results from Huber’s evaluation programme should be available towards the end of this year. Altogether, Sparta Kaolin claims to have a premium-grade kaolin resource of 63.5 M tonnes, which could be converted into 19.5 M tonnes of processed kaolin products. Industrial Minerals, Apr 2002, (415), 23
US: Riverdale – plastics colorants Riverdale Color Manufacturing Co has relocated its production of liquid colorants and additives for the plastics industry from the Brooklyn district of New York to a site at Perth Amboy, NJ. The move began last July and the company is now working at full capacity at the new site. The workforce has been increased to 32, but no details
MAY 2002
LITIGATION Nemoto versus Chemitech on luminescent pigments Nemoto has won an important patent infringement dispute against Chemitech in respect of Nemoto’s patent for luminescent pigments with a long after-glow. Nemoto sells these pigments under the brandname LumiNova. Chemitech had been producing and marketing similar products, namely Picariko CP-05 and Picariko CP-05B, but Nemoto was able to show that Chemitech’s process actually infringed Nemoto’s own patents. Chemitech has been ordered to pay damages to Nemoto of the order of Yen 85.163 M (just over $720,000). Japan Chemical Week, 18 Apr 2002, 43 (2168), 3
Rockwood versus Interstar on iron oxide pigments for concrete Rockwood Pigments (a unit of Rockwood Specialities) has filed a complaint of patent infringement against Interstar Materials of Orford, PQ (Canada). Rockwood alleges that Interstar has been directing concrete producers to use Interstar’s iron oxide pigment granules to colour concrete, whilst using Rockwood’s process technology. Rockwood Pigments was created in early 2001 as the entity for inheriting Laporte’s iron oxide pigments business, acquired as part of a major acquisition of Laporte assets by Kohlberg, Kravis Roberts (KKR).
Nanotechnologies (of Cody, WY) – Patent No 6375923 – for a “method of processing titaniferous ore to make TiO2 pigment.” The basic steps of this process were developed by BHP at its Nevada laboratories. Following the costly debacle of its Beenup titanium minerals mining venture in Western Australia, BHP decided to withdraw from the TiO2 industry altogether. This enabled Altair to acquire all BHP’s relevant patents and inventions, as well as the Reno demonstration unit for a total sum of A$15 M. The process essentially consists of leaching the titanium mineral with hydrochloric acid, followed by solvent extraction and spray hydrolysis. The leaching is augmented by adding gaseous hydrogen chloride. Dr Rudi Moerck (President of Altair) claims: “With economics of scale and myriad environmental advantages over the existing chloride and sulfate processes, this new process offers an extraordinary opportunity for pigment companies to improve their overall operations. We look forward to working with these industry leaders as they take advantage of the benefits offered by the new technology.” Altair’s plant at Reno (Nevada) currently produces 400 tonnes/y of nanoparticulate materials – TiO2, lithium titanate, yttrium-stabilised zirconia, etc. The company plans to expand this to 1500 tonnes/y. During the quarter to end-March 2002, Altair generated $50,000 in sales revenue and employed a workforce of 25 people. Its spending on research and development during 2001 was of the order of $10 M. Chemisch2Weekblad, 8 May 2002, (Website: http://www.c2w.nl/) (in Dutch) & TiO2 Worldwide Update, Jan/Apr 2002, 10 (1/2), 39-41
Fujitsu’s technology for making CDs & DVDs glow
Chemical Week, 10 Apr 2002, 164 (15), 31
TECHNOLOGY Altair’s patent for making TiO2 pigment from ilmenite On 23 April, the US Patent Office granted a patent to Altair
Fujitsu Component has granted a licence to GE Plastics to use its patented colour technology for adding fluorescent dyes to polycarbonate resin. The result is a light piping effect which makes the edges of polycarbonate-based optical media products (CDs and DVDs) glow in a distinctive fashion. European Chemical News, 6 May 2002, 76 (2004), 27
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China: Tianhong – phthalo blue Tianhong Chemical Industrial Co Ltd has recently brought on-stream a 2000 tonnes/y phthalocyanine blue plant in the central inland province of Gansu. Tianhong’s plant uses solventfree turbulent-flow synthesis technology, achieving a product recovery efficiency of more than 98%. The technology also has the advantage of generating hardly any pollution. China Chemical Reporter, 6 Apr 2002, 13 (10), 21
France: Viba – masterbatch Viba (of Milan) has opened a new plastics masterbatch plant at Forbach (in the Moselle district). The project required investment of €9 M, including €5.4 M for machinery and €3.6 M for construction and civil engineering. Initial capacity at Forbach is 700 tonnes/y and this is due to be increased gradually to 4000 tonnes/y by 2004. The workforce here will be increased from 50 to 70. The Viba group was established in 1973 and it now has masterbatch capacity in excess of 50,000 tonnes/y, with plants in France, Hungary, Italy and Spain. Its masterbatch range is marketed under the brandname Vibatan. The group’s total sales last year reached €84 M, of which 75% was accounted for by masterbatches and 25% by speciality plastics. Info Chimie Magazine, May 2002, (438), 36 & Plastiques et Elastomères Magazine, Apr 2002, 54 (3), 38 (in French)
Germany: CalciTech – PCC CalciTech (of Ferney Voltaire, near the Swiss border) has contracted W S Atkins Consultants Ltd to complete the design for a new precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) plant to be built at
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an undisclosed location in Germany.. The plant will employ Kemgas technology, using carbon dioxide and waste-stream carbide lime. The viability of this technology has already been demonstrated at a plant operated by Kemgas itself on the InfraLeuna site near Schopkau in eastern Germany. (See also ‘Focus on Pigments’, Jun 2000, 3). Highbrightness PCC will be generated for sale as an ultra-fine premium coating pigment for paper applications. Industrial Minerals, Apr 2002, (415), 15-17
India: Clariant – masterbatch For the nine months to end-December 2001, Clariant India recorded a net profit of Rup 158 M on sales of Rup 2.274 bn. That compares against Rup 126 M on Rup 2.083 bn for the equivalent period of 2000. The commissioning of a new plastics masterbatch plant at Kolshet is expected to make an important contribution to profits this year. No details have been given of the size of this new plant. Business Line, 12 May 2002, 9 (131), 13
Saudi Arabia: Al Zamil – carbon black The Al Zamil group has appointed Jacobs Engineering to prepare documents relating to “invitations to bid” in respect of its planned carbon black plant, to be built at Al Jubail. The Al Zamil group intends to sell off up to 50% of its shareholding in the carbon black project to an unnamed foreign investor. No details have been given as to scale of the plant, but it should be on-stream in 2Q or 3Q 2004. Asian Chemical News, 15 Apr 2002, 8 (353), 24
South Africa: Huntsman Tioxide – TiO2 Huntsman Tioxide is paying Rand 84 M to buy-out AECI’s 40% minority stake in the Umbogintwini TiO2 pigment plant. Completion of the deal should take place before the end of June 2002. The plant, commissioned in 1962, employs sulfate-route technology and currently has a capacity of 40,000 tonnes/y. Capacity utilisation here increased from below 80% to 80-90% during 2001. Shipments of pigment from
Umbogintwini typically go to customers in South Africa, sub-Saharan Africa and the US. Following this move, which gives Huntsman Tioxide 100% control, the company intends to upgrade the Umbogintwini plant and increase its capacity. Chemical Week, 24 Apr 2002, 164 (17), 15 & European Chemical News, 22 Apr 2002, 76 (2002), 7
Sweden: Push Development, Tricorona & Svenska Kaolin Tricorona, the original sponsor of the 200,000-500,000 tonnes/y kaolin project at Billinge (near Eslöv in southern Sweden) is facing financial difficulties. Föreningssparbanken has withdrawn its loan facilities, accentuating Tricorona’s need to raise funds. Push Development acquired 15.6% of Tricorona’s voting shares and 3.75% of the company’s equity in February 2002 and it is determined to help Tricorona to sell off its Woxna graphite business, raising up to SKR 25 M. Meanwhile, the Billinge project has been entrusted to Svenska Kaolin, a separate entity floated on the Gothenburg Stock Exchange in October 2001. Proposals to mine 200,000-500,000 tonnes/y of kaolin over a minelife of 100 years were rejected by the Environmental Court in Växö last year, but Push Development aims to modify the project parameters and then resubmit it for approval. Dagens Industri, 8 Apr 2002 (Website: http://di.se/NoFlash.asp) (in Swedish)
Thailand: Thai Epoxy Allied Products & Aditya Birla – carbon black Thai Carbon Black (TCB) plans to spend $18.2 M to increase its carbon black capacity at Ang Thong from 150,000 tonnes/y to 200,000 tonnes/y by 2003. The Aditya Birla group (of India) has a 50% stake in TCB; Thai Epoxy Allied Products (TEC) is also a significant shareholder in TCB. Last year, TCB reported net profit at $9 M on sales of $79.5 M, compared against $7.8 M and $60.2 M in 2000. To extend its participation in the carbon black industry, TEC is negotiating to buy an unidentified smaller producer, with a capacity of
MAY 2002
F O C U S
O N
PIGMENTS
around 20,000 tonnes/y of carbon black. The value of this acquisition has been estimated at around $4-5 M.
have been provided on production volume. The cost of the relocation and capacity expansion was $2.8 M.
APCJ, Asia Pacific Coatings Journal, Apr 2002, 15 (2), 12-14
Plastics News, 30 Apr 2002 (Website: http://www.plasticsnews.com)
UK & Brazil: Imerys – kaolin Imerys (of Paris) has announced plans for a major restructuring of its kaolin mining activities in Devon and Cornwall. In future, it will only produce kaolin pigment grades to supply the paint, chemical and plastics markets. It will cease producing grades for the paper sector here, effectively transferring production to its Brazilian operations. Imerys plans to produce just over 2 M tonnes of kaolin in southwestern England this year. The Imerys group was created in mid1999 following the £756 M takeover of the worldwide business of English China Clays. European Rubber Journal, Apr 2002, 184 (4), 17
US: Huber & Sparta – kaolin Kaoclay Resources Inc (of Canada) has signed an agreement with J.M.Huber Corp, whereby Huber will evaluate and eventually develop kaolin deposits in South Carolina and Georgia identified by Sparta Kaolin (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kaoclay Resources). Kaoclay had made it clear on several occasions that it had no intenton of becoming a kaolin producer in its own right. (See also ‘Focus on Pigments’, Aug 2001, 5). The initial set of test results from Huber’s evaluation programme should be available towards the end of this year. Altogether, Sparta Kaolin claims to have a premium-grade kaolin resource of 63.5 M tonnes, which could be converted into 19.5 M tonnes of processed kaolin products. Industrial Minerals, Apr 2002, (415), 23
US: Riverdale – plastics colorants Riverdale Color Manufacturing Co has relocated its production of liquid colorants and additives for the plastics industry from the Brooklyn district of New York to a site at Perth Amboy, NJ. The move began last July and the company is now working at full capacity at the new site. The workforce has been increased to 32, but no details
MAY 2002
LITIGATION Nemoto versus Chemitech on luminescent pigments Nemoto has won an important patent infringement dispute against Chemitech in respect of Nemoto’s patent for luminescent pigments with a long after-glow. Nemoto sells these pigments under the brandname LumiNova. Chemitech had been producing and marketing similar products, namely Picariko CP-05 and Picariko CP-05B, but Nemoto was able to show that Chemitech’s process actually infringed Nemoto’s own patents. Chemitech has been ordered to pay damages to Nemoto of the order of Yen 85.163 M (just over $720,000). Japan Chemical Week, 18 Apr 2002, 43 (2168), 3
Rockwood versus Interstar on iron oxide pigments for concrete Rockwood Pigments (a unit of Rockwood Specialities) has filed a complaint of patent infringement against Interstar Materials of Orford, PQ (Canada). Rockwood alleges that Interstar has been directing concrete producers to use Interstar’s iron oxide pigment granules to colour concrete, whilst using Rockwood’s process technology. Rockwood Pigments was created in early 2001 as the entity for inheriting Laporte’s iron oxide pigments business, acquired as part of a major acquisition of Laporte assets by Kohlberg, Kravis Roberts (KKR).
Nanotechnologies (of Cody, WY) – Patent No 6375923 – for a “method of processing titaniferous ore to make TiO2 pigment.” The basic steps of this process were developed by BHP at its Nevada laboratories. Following the costly debacle of its Beenup titanium minerals mining venture in Western Australia, BHP decided to withdraw from the TiO2 industry altogether. This enabled Altair to acquire all BHP’s relevant patents and inventions, as well as the Reno demonstration unit for a total sum of A$15 M. The process essentially consists of leaching the titanium mineral with hydrochloric acid, followed by solvent extraction and spray hydrolysis. The leaching is augmented by adding gaseous hydrogen chloride. Dr Rudi Moerck (President of Altair) claims: “With economics of scale and myriad environmental advantages over the existing chloride and sulfate processes, this new process offers an extraordinary opportunity for pigment companies to improve their overall operations. We look forward to working with these industry leaders as they take advantage of the benefits offered by the new technology.” Altair’s plant at Reno (Nevada) currently produces 400 tonnes/y of nanoparticulate materials – TiO2, lithium titanate, yttrium-stabilised zirconia, etc. The company plans to expand this to 1500 tonnes/y. During the quarter to end-March 2002, Altair generated $50,000 in sales revenue and employed a workforce of 25 people. Its spending on research and development during 2001 was of the order of $10 M. Chemisch2Weekblad, 8 May 2002, (Website: http://www.c2w.nl/) (in Dutch) & TiO2 Worldwide Update, Jan/Apr 2002, 10 (1/2), 39-41
Fujitsu’s technology for making CDs & DVDs glow
Chemical Week, 10 Apr 2002, 164 (15), 31
TECHNOLOGY Altair’s patent for making TiO2 pigment from ilmenite On 23 April, the US Patent Office granted a patent to Altair
Fujitsu Component has granted a licence to GE Plastics to use its patented colour technology for adding fluorescent dyes to polycarbonate resin. The result is a light piping effect which makes the edges of polycarbonate-based optical media products (CDs and DVDs) glow in a distinctive fashion. European Chemical News, 6 May 2002, 76 (2004), 27
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