- Email: [email protected]
US: Teknor Apex — masterbatch
F O C US Turkey: Evonik & Ege Kimya – precipitated silica Egesil AS has stepped up its precipitated silica capacity at Adapazari (near Izmit) from 15,000 tonnes/y to 40,000 tonnes/y. The company was established in 2002 as a joint venture between Evonik (formerly Degussa) and Ege Kimya. It is now owned 51% by Evonik and 49% by Ege Kimya. (See ‘Focus on Pigments’, Mar 2004, 4). Paint & Coatings Industry (PCI), Aug 2008, 24 (8), 16-18
US & Europe: Schulman – masterbatch Schulman (one of the world’s leading suppliers of plastic masterbatches) is converting a warehouse at its Akron, OH, site into a plant for manufacturing its Polybatch range of additive masterbatches for polypropylene, polyethylene and polystyrene. The plant should be ready for operation in October 2009 and it will entail the creation of 20 new jobs initially, plus about 60 more jobs over the next five years if capacity expansions proceed as planned. Meanwhile, Schulman is reviewing options for the future of its Invision range of thermoplastic elastomer compounds. The Invision business reported an operating loss of $1.6 M in the quarter to end-May 2008, which represents inadequate improvement on the $2.2 M loss recorded for the corresponding quarter of 2007. According to Schulman: “Invision elastomers can replace more expensive and less environmentally sound materials such as acrylics and styrenics, and they have significant market potential for use in agriculture, automotive, boat, heavy truck, and recreational vehicle markets. But this broad-based potential extends beyond Schulman’s core market areas.” The company has cancelled a project to build a new plant for making Invision elastomers at Findlay, OH. It is now looking for a joint venture partner or possibly an outright purchaser of the Invision business. In Europe, Schulman’s activities are coordinated by the regional office at Zevenaar (Netherlands). It produces 70,000 tonnes/y of technical plastic compounds at Kerpen (Germany) and it also produces a
OCTOBER 2008
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PIGMENTS
total of 120,000 tonnes/y of colour and additive masterbatches at Bornem (Belgium) and Givet (France). Schulman also operates masterbatch plants in Denmark and Poland. Chimie Pharma Hebdo, 1 Sep 2008, (434), 13 (in French) & Kunststof en Rubber, Sep 2008, 61 (9), 69 (in Dutch)
US: Erdene & Beta Minerals – kaolin Erdene Materials Corp (formerly known as Sparta Kaolin) is poised to commence development of a new kaolin mine in Georgia, thanks to a $2.5 M capital injection secured as a result of a reverse takeover by Beta Minerals Inc (of Canada). Beta Minerals is now owned 72% by Erdene Materials and 6% by Deepstep Kaolin. No indication has been given as to the projected scale of production here, but it seems that the output will be mainly destined for the ceramic sector. Erdene also has an agreement with Huber, which might lead to mining kaolin from the Lucky Main deposit in eastern Georgia. (See also ‘Focus on Pigments’, Jan 2008, 7). Industrial Minerals, Aug 2008, (491), 12
US: Imerys – kaolin Imerys has cut back on its operations in Georgia, citing a fall in overall demand for kaolin as a result of the general economic slowdown and overcapacity in the graphic papers sector. In May 2008, it closed down part of its calcined kaolin plant at Dry Branch, GA. Now, it has announced that it will reduce its workforce at Sandersville by 50 by the end of this year. PPCJ, Polymers, Paint, Colour Journal, Aug 2008, 198 (4527), 5
US: Teknor Apex – masterbatch Teknor Apex Co has announced that it will close its colour concentrates facility at Lodi, OH, at the end of this year. This will result in the loss of 39 jobs. Teknor Apex states that it will consolidate production at its other US plants, including the plants at Henderson, KY, and Jacksonville, TX. Plastics News, 26 Aug 2008, (Website: http://www.plasticsnews.com)
COMPANIES Altana acquires US Bronze Powders Altana (of Germany) has acquired the entire business of US Bronze Powders Inc (USBP) and plans to absorb its activities into its Eckart subsidiary. Production will be transferred to Eckart’s existing plants at Painesville, OH (in the US) and Guentersthal (in Bavaria, Germany). However, no manufacturing facilities nor employees will be transferred. USBP produces pigments based on copper, bronze and stainless steel, as well as press-ready metallic printing inks. Its sales revenue for full-year 2007 was about $8 M, of which 60% came from sales to the NAFTA region, 15% from Europe and 15% from Asia. Press Release from: Altana AG, Abelstrasse 45, 46483 Wesel, Germany. Website: http://www.altana.com (2 Oct 2008)
Grolman to sell Nordkalk wollastonite Nordkalk (of Lappeenraanta, Finland) has appointed Gustav Grolman (of Dusseldorf, Germany) as its European distributor for wollastonite. Nordkalk is the only producer of wollastonite in Europe and it recently introduced the HARwoll series of high aspect-ratio (HAR) wollastonites specifically tailored for applications in plastics processing. Grolman is one of Europe’s largest chemical distributors, with sales offices in 24 countries. Plastics Additives and Compounding, Sep/Oct 2008, 10 (5), 11
Silvergate involved in management buy-out at British Vita Silvergate Plastics, which makes coloured masterbatches at Wrexham (North Wales) was the subject of a recently completed management buyout. AWB Plastics was created as a special purpose vehicle, controlled by Mr Anthony Bestall, who had been the Managing Director of Silvergate for the past six years. The vendor was the British Vita group, which is now owned by TPG Capital. Silvergate has 54 employees and reported annual sales revenues at £6 M for 2007, claiming a 5% share of the UK market. Plastics and Rubber Weekly, 18 Jul 2008, 3
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US & Europe: Schulman – masterbatch Schulman (one of the world’s leading suppliers of plastic masterbatches) is converting a warehouse at its Akron, OH, site into a plant for manufacturing its Polybatch range of additive masterbatches for polypropylene, polyethylene and polystyrene. The plant should be ready for operation in October 2009 and it will entail the creation of 20 new jobs initially, plus about 60 more jobs over the next five years if capacity expansions proceed as planned. Meanwhile, Schulman is reviewing options for the future of its Invision range of thermoplastic elastomer compounds. The Invision business reported an operating loss of $1.6 M in the quarter to end-May 2008, which represents inadequate improvement on the $2.2 M loss recorded for the corresponding quarter of 2007. According to Schulman: “Invision elastomers can replace more expensive and less environmentally sound materials such as acrylics and styrenics, and they have significant market potential for use in agriculture, automotive, boat, heavy truck, and recreational vehicle markets. But this broad-based potential extends beyond Schulman’s core market areas.” The company has cancelled a project to build a new plant for making Invision elastomers at Findlay, OH. It is now looking for a joint venture partner or possibly an outright purchaser of the Invision business. In Europe, Schulman’s activities are coordinated by the regional office at Zevenaar (Netherlands). It produces 70,000 tonnes/y of technical plastic compounds at Kerpen (Germany) and it also produces a
OCTOBER 2008
O N
PIGMENTS
total of 120,000 tonnes/y of colour and additive masterbatches at Bornem (Belgium) and Givet (France). Schulman also operates masterbatch plants in Denmark and Poland. Chimie Pharma Hebdo, 1 Sep 2008, (434), 13 (in French) & Kunststof en Rubber, Sep 2008, 61 (9), 69 (in Dutch)
US: Erdene & Beta Minerals – kaolin Erdene Materials Corp (formerly known as Sparta Kaolin) is poised to commence development of a new kaolin mine in Georgia, thanks to a $2.5 M capital injection secured as a result of a reverse takeover by Beta Minerals Inc (of Canada). Beta Minerals is now owned 72% by Erdene Materials and 6% by Deepstep Kaolin. No indication has been given as to the projected scale of production here, but it seems that the output will be mainly destined for the ceramic sector. Erdene also has an agreement with Huber, which might lead to mining kaolin from the Lucky Main deposit in eastern Georgia. (See also ‘Focus on Pigments’, Jan 2008, 7). Industrial Minerals, Aug 2008, (491), 12
US: Imerys – kaolin Imerys has cut back on its operations in Georgia, citing a fall in overall demand for kaolin as a result of the general economic slowdown and overcapacity in the graphic papers sector. In May 2008, it closed down part of its calcined kaolin plant at Dry Branch, GA. Now, it has announced that it will reduce its workforce at Sandersville by 50 by the end of this year. PPCJ, Polymers, Paint, Colour Journal, Aug 2008, 198 (4527), 5
US: Teknor Apex – masterbatch Teknor Apex Co has announced that it will close its colour concentrates facility at Lodi, OH, at the end of this year. This will result in the loss of 39 jobs. Teknor Apex states that it will consolidate production at its other US plants, including the plants at Henderson, KY, and Jacksonville, TX. Plastics News, 26 Aug 2008, (Website: http://www.plasticsnews.com)
COMPANIES Altana acquires US Bronze Powders Altana (of Germany) has acquired the entire business of US Bronze Powders Inc (USBP) and plans to absorb its activities into its Eckart subsidiary. Production will be transferred to Eckart’s existing plants at Painesville, OH (in the US) and Guentersthal (in Bavaria, Germany). However, no manufacturing facilities nor employees will be transferred. USBP produces pigments based on copper, bronze and stainless steel, as well as press-ready metallic printing inks. Its sales revenue for full-year 2007 was about $8 M, of which 60% came from sales to the NAFTA region, 15% from Europe and 15% from Asia. Press Release from: Altana AG, Abelstrasse 45, 46483 Wesel, Germany. Website: http://www.altana.com (2 Oct 2008)
Grolman to sell Nordkalk wollastonite Nordkalk (of Lappeenraanta, Finland) has appointed Gustav Grolman (of Dusseldorf, Germany) as its European distributor for wollastonite. Nordkalk is the only producer of wollastonite in Europe and it recently introduced the HARwoll series of high aspect-ratio (HAR) wollastonites specifically tailored for applications in plastics processing. Grolman is one of Europe’s largest chemical distributors, with sales offices in 24 countries. Plastics Additives and Compounding, Sep/Oct 2008, 10 (5), 11
Silvergate involved in management buy-out at British Vita Silvergate Plastics, which makes coloured masterbatches at Wrexham (North Wales) was the subject of a recently completed management buyout. AWB Plastics was created as a special purpose vehicle, controlled by Mr Anthony Bestall, who had been the Managing Director of Silvergate for the past six years. The vendor was the British Vita group, which is now owned by TPG Capital. Silvergate has 54 employees and reported annual sales revenues at £6 M for 2007, claiming a 5% share of the UK market. Plastics and Rubber Weekly, 18 Jul 2008, 3
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