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Thailand: Tokai — carbon black
F O C U S here has already been earmarked for military applications, but Lukoil is currently negotiating to buy some of its barytes requirements from this source. Industrial Minerals, Jun 2002, (417), 19
Singapore: Ishihara – TiO2 ISK Singapore, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha (ISK, of Osaka) is adopting a series of measures designed to cut costs at its 45,000 tonnes/y chloride-route TiO2 pigment plant at Jurong. As fuel, the plant currently uses 3000 tonnes/y of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG); it will save an unspecified sum by switching to natural gas. Also, it will install a S$2 M plant for making its own deionised water, instead of buying it in. Japan Chemical Week, 30 May 2002, 43 (2173), 9
Thailand: Tokai – carbon black Tokai Carbon recently increased capacity at its Sriracha carbon black plant from 60,000 tonnes/y to 65,000 tonnes/y. (See also ‘Focus on Pigments’, Apr 2002, 4). Now the company plans to spend Yen 2 bn to raise capacity here to 90,000 tonnes/y by 2004. As background to this decision, the company reported that Asia currently accounts for about 40% of global carbon black consumption, estimated at between 7 M tonnes/y and 8 M tonnes/y. Consumption in Asia is growing at 4% per annum – about double the global average growth rate. Tokai Carbon is one of the world’s top ten suppliers, with a total capacity of 500,000 tonnes/y, derived from plants in Thailand and Japan, plus its alliance with DC Chemical in South Korea. Japan Chemical Week, 30 May 2002, 43 (2173), 8
Ukraine: Prosyanoye – kaolin JSC Prosyanoye GOK is one of the leading kaolin producers in the Ukraine, with a capacity of about 600,000 tonnes/y. The company has an authorised capital base of $1.7 M and employs 753 people. The State Property Fund has announced that it
JUNE 2002
O N
PIGMENTS
wants to sell its 35.14% shareholding in Prosyanoye, assessed as being worth $620,000. However, several conditions will be attached to the sale. The purchaser must keep the existing workforce intact, at least for an initial period of six months. The purchaser must not allow kaolin production to fall and must make a commitment to “the reconstruction of production and the development of modern technologies here.” Industrial Minerals, Jun 2002, (417), 20
US: Degussa – research centre for carbon black, silica & silanes Degussa has opened a new $7 M laboratory at Piscataway, NJ, which will concentrate on research on carbon black, silicas, silanes and pharmaceutical polymers, serving three business units: Aerosil and silanes; advanced fillers and pigments; and Roehm speciality acrylics. The new laboratory has a floor area of 21,000 square feet. Also, with effect from 1 January 2002, the headquarters of the company’s Coatings & Colorants division was transferred from Marl (Germany) to Parsippany, also in New Jersey. Degussa’s workforce in New Jersey has increased by 15% to around 230 people. The Coatings & Colorants division now plans to set up a technical service centre in Singapore, with a particular emphasis on serving Asian manufacturers of paints and printing inks. Farbe und Lack, May 2002, 108 (5), 125-126 (in German) & Adhesives Age, May 2002, 45 (5), 8
HEALTH & SAFETY Rhodamine-B, Malaysian shrimp-paste & US seed treatment A recent survey conducted by the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) found that samples of belacan (shrimp-paste) contained significant quantities of rhodamine-B, an allegedly carcinogenic colorant. Under Malaysian law, rhodamine-B is not permitted for use in colouring food. In fact, rhodamine-B is only allowed for use in colouring plastic and textile products. The CAP is urging the Minister of Health to find the culprits and then to strictly implement the Food Regulations Act of 1985, which provides for offenders to be fined up to Rggt 5000 and/or imprisoned for up to two years. Last August, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revoked all tolerances for rhodamine-B in foodcontact applications, but at the same time it “designated” the use of rhodamine-B as a dye for seed treatment only. This means that in this particular application, neither a tolerance nor an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance is required. The EPA had reviewed and evaluated all submitted data prior to determining that there was no uptake of rhodamine-B when used as a dye for seed treatment. The Star, 11 Jun 2002 (Website: http://www.thestar.com.my) & Federal Register, 2 Jun 2002, 66 (149), 40170-40174 (Available from: Federal Register Online via GPO Access [Website: http://www.access.gpo.gov])
Ban on azo colorants to be extended to cover children’s toys?
F & D Plastics Inc is committed to spending $250,000 on the installation of a new extrusion line and three new resin silos at its 27,000 sq ft site in Leominster, MA. The work should be completed by the end of July 2002. It should enable F & D Plastics to expand its business in the custom manufacture of plastic colour concentrates. The company reported sales at $7.5 M for 2001; the total workforce numbers 50 people.
The German and Danish Governments have asked the European Commission to tighten the safety regulations relating to azo dyes and pigments. There is a long series of EU directives, prohibiting the use of a number of specified azo colorants for applications in the leather and textile sectors. The German and Danish Governments are now calling for the prohibitions to be extended to cover children’s toys. The Commission has agreed to carry out a scientific risk assessment, due for completion later this summer.
Plastics News, 6 Jun 2002 (Website: http://www.plasticsnews.com)
PPCJ, Polymers, Paint, Colour Journal, May 2002, 192 (4452), 10
US: F & D plastics – plastics colorants
7
Singapore: Ishihara – TiO2 ISK Singapore, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha (ISK, of Osaka) is adopting a series of measures designed to cut costs at its 45,000 tonnes/y chloride-route TiO2 pigment plant at Jurong. As fuel, the plant currently uses 3000 tonnes/y of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG); it will save an unspecified sum by switching to natural gas. Also, it will install a S$2 M plant for making its own deionised water, instead of buying it in. Japan Chemical Week, 30 May 2002, 43 (2173), 9
Thailand: Tokai – carbon black Tokai Carbon recently increased capacity at its Sriracha carbon black plant from 60,000 tonnes/y to 65,000 tonnes/y. (See also ‘Focus on Pigments’, Apr 2002, 4). Now the company plans to spend Yen 2 bn to raise capacity here to 90,000 tonnes/y by 2004. As background to this decision, the company reported that Asia currently accounts for about 40% of global carbon black consumption, estimated at between 7 M tonnes/y and 8 M tonnes/y. Consumption in Asia is growing at 4% per annum – about double the global average growth rate. Tokai Carbon is one of the world’s top ten suppliers, with a total capacity of 500,000 tonnes/y, derived from plants in Thailand and Japan, plus its alliance with DC Chemical in South Korea. Japan Chemical Week, 30 May 2002, 43 (2173), 8
Ukraine: Prosyanoye – kaolin JSC Prosyanoye GOK is one of the leading kaolin producers in the Ukraine, with a capacity of about 600,000 tonnes/y. The company has an authorised capital base of $1.7 M and employs 753 people. The State Property Fund has announced that it
JUNE 2002
O N
PIGMENTS
wants to sell its 35.14% shareholding in Prosyanoye, assessed as being worth $620,000. However, several conditions will be attached to the sale. The purchaser must keep the existing workforce intact, at least for an initial period of six months. The purchaser must not allow kaolin production to fall and must make a commitment to “the reconstruction of production and the development of modern technologies here.” Industrial Minerals, Jun 2002, (417), 20
US: Degussa – research centre for carbon black, silica & silanes Degussa has opened a new $7 M laboratory at Piscataway, NJ, which will concentrate on research on carbon black, silicas, silanes and pharmaceutical polymers, serving three business units: Aerosil and silanes; advanced fillers and pigments; and Roehm speciality acrylics. The new laboratory has a floor area of 21,000 square feet. Also, with effect from 1 January 2002, the headquarters of the company’s Coatings & Colorants division was transferred from Marl (Germany) to Parsippany, also in New Jersey. Degussa’s workforce in New Jersey has increased by 15% to around 230 people. The Coatings & Colorants division now plans to set up a technical service centre in Singapore, with a particular emphasis on serving Asian manufacturers of paints and printing inks. Farbe und Lack, May 2002, 108 (5), 125-126 (in German) & Adhesives Age, May 2002, 45 (5), 8
HEALTH & SAFETY Rhodamine-B, Malaysian shrimp-paste & US seed treatment A recent survey conducted by the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) found that samples of belacan (shrimp-paste) contained significant quantities of rhodamine-B, an allegedly carcinogenic colorant. Under Malaysian law, rhodamine-B is not permitted for use in colouring food. In fact, rhodamine-B is only allowed for use in colouring plastic and textile products. The CAP is urging the Minister of Health to find the culprits and then to strictly implement the Food Regulations Act of 1985, which provides for offenders to be fined up to Rggt 5000 and/or imprisoned for up to two years. Last August, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revoked all tolerances for rhodamine-B in foodcontact applications, but at the same time it “designated” the use of rhodamine-B as a dye for seed treatment only. This means that in this particular application, neither a tolerance nor an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance is required. The EPA had reviewed and evaluated all submitted data prior to determining that there was no uptake of rhodamine-B when used as a dye for seed treatment. The Star, 11 Jun 2002 (Website: http://www.thestar.com.my) & Federal Register, 2 Jun 2002, 66 (149), 40170-40174 (Available from: Federal Register Online via GPO Access [Website: http://www.access.gpo.gov])
Ban on azo colorants to be extended to cover children’s toys?
F & D Plastics Inc is committed to spending $250,000 on the installation of a new extrusion line and three new resin silos at its 27,000 sq ft site in Leominster, MA. The work should be completed by the end of July 2002. It should enable F & D Plastics to expand its business in the custom manufacture of plastic colour concentrates. The company reported sales at $7.5 M for 2001; the total workforce numbers 50 people.
The German and Danish Governments have asked the European Commission to tighten the safety regulations relating to azo dyes and pigments. There is a long series of EU directives, prohibiting the use of a number of specified azo colorants for applications in the leather and textile sectors. The German and Danish Governments are now calling for the prohibitions to be extended to cover children’s toys. The Commission has agreed to carry out a scientific risk assessment, due for completion later this summer.
Plastics News, 6 Jun 2002 (Website: http://www.plasticsnews.com)
PPCJ, Polymers, Paint, Colour Journal, May 2002, 192 (4452), 10
US: F & D plastics – plastics colorants
7