- Email: [email protected]
Vietnam
F O C US Bismuth vanadate is often combined with organic pigments to achieve the full range of colours from yellow through to red. In general, the redder the colour target, the higher the organic pigment loading required and this can give rise to the problems cited above. Bismuth vanadate itself is weatherfast and opaque to ultraviolet light, but it may exhibit thermal and chemical stability problems in certain very challenging applications. Given this background, Johnson Matthey believes: “There is a gap in the high-performance yellow-orange colour space.” And to plug that gap, the company has developed an entirely new chromophore, which has been assigned a new Colour Index reference number: Pigment Yellow 216. Johnson Matthey has launched a new range of pigments – the Solaplex range – based on this new chromophore. The range currently comprises: Solaplex Orange (34H1003); Solaplex Yellow (34H-1001) and Solaplex MidYellow (34H-1002). The company states: “The chemistry falls within the rutile-tin-zinc family of compounds. Solaplex pigments lie in a completely unique colour space, with a colour shade and intensity between lead chromates and conventional titanates. They can be combined with green-shade yellow bismuth vanadate and organic pigments to produce a full colour palette across the yellow-to-red colour quadrant.” In addition, Solaplex pigments offer: excellent opacity and hiding power, weatherfastness and lightfastness, chemical resistance and dispersibility. They have good thermal stability and low abrasiveness. They are non-migratory and non-warping. They have low oil absorption and produce no adverse effect on binder rheology. In summary, Johnson Matthey states: “The Solaplex range offers new colour options, affordable and robust for any application, complementing and enhancing the formulator’s raw material palette.” Reg Adams Further information is available from: Johnson Matthey Pigments & Dispersions, Liverpool Road East, Kidsgrove, Stoke-on-Trent, ST7 3AA, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1782 794400. E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]. Website: http://www.JMSolaplex.com
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PLANTS Germany: Eckart Werke – pearlescent & metallic pigments Eckart Werke is establishing a new facility at its Velden plant, designed to meet the rising demand for bonded special-effect pigments in the powder coatings sector. The new facility will enable Eckart to expand its range of aluminium, gold, bronze and pearlescent pigments. Farbe und Lack, Nov 2003, 109 (11), 71 (in German)
that its flue-gas desulfurisation plant, now in its third year of operation, has reduced sulfur oxide emissions by 99.9%. Holliday is the world’s largest manufacturer of ultramarine blue and manganese violet pigments, with over 100 years of manufacturing experience. Holliday’s ultramarines are used in: plastics, cosmetics, rubber, paint, artists’ colours and printing inks. Press release from: Holliday Pigments, Morley Street, Kingston upon Hull HU8 8DN, UK, Website: http://www.holliday-pigments.com (10 Jan 2004) & PPCJ, Polymers, Paint, Colour Journal, Nov 2003, 193 (4470), 6
Switzerland: Ciba – textile colorants Ciba will cut its workforce at Basle by about 150-200 people over the next few years as part of the restructuring programme in its textile dyes and colorants business. At the same time, the company is investing SFR 15 M in improving and automating certain processes at the Basle complex. Altogether, 2750 people are currently employed here. Neue Zuercher Zeitung, 14 Nov 2003, 224 (265), 15 (in German)
UK: Holliday – ultramarine Holliday Pigments (part of the Yule Catto group) is celebrating being awarded three important international standards certificates in respect of its ultramarine pigments plant at Hull. The certificates are ISO-14001 (environmental standard); OHSAS18001 (health & safety standard); and ISO-9001 (quality standard). Holliday Pigments is the first company in the Yule Catto group to receive these three certificates. Mr John Duncan (Lead Assessor of the external auditor, United Registrar of Systems) toured Holliday’s manufacturing site at Hull during December 2003. He was evidently very impressed with the systems in place and with the health, safety and environmental awareness of several employees. Towards the end of last year, Holliday hosted an “open day” at the Hull factory site, introducing new product lines of pigments for sundry industries, including cement, printing inks, paper and special effect coatings for motor bikes and mobile telephones. The company also noted
US: Nabaltec/BPU – alumina trihydrate Nabaltec GmbH (of Germany) and BPU Inc (of Texas, US) have signed a memorandum of understanding to create a joint venture – Nashtec LPO – which will build and operate a new 23,000 tonnes/y alumina trihydrate (ATH) plant at Sherwin, TX. The ATH plant will be linked to BPU’s 1.4 M tonnes/y plant for producing smeltergrade alumina. Completion of the project is anticipated in 2005 and output will be marketed by Nashtex under the brandname Apyral-40 CD. Industrial Minerals, Jan 2004, (436), 13
Vietnam: Clariant – plastics masterbatch Clariant has opened a new plant for making plastics masterbatch in Ho Chi Minh City. The plant has a floor area of 1000 square metres and employs 12 people. No details have been released on production volumes. Chimie Hebdo, 22 Dec 2003, (239), 8 (in French)
COMPANIES Accel Color acquires Polytech Accel Color Corp (of Naperville, IL) has acquired Polytech Colour & Compounding (of Canada) for an undisclosed sum. Polytech’s manufacturing operations will now be relocated and expanded at a new site within Ontario. Last year, Polytech reported sales revenue of about $1 M, derived from masterbatches,
FEBRUARY 2004
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PIGMENTS
PLANTS Germany: Eckart Werke – pearlescent & metallic pigments Eckart Werke is establishing a new facility at its Velden plant, designed to meet the rising demand for bonded special-effect pigments in the powder coatings sector. The new facility will enable Eckart to expand its range of aluminium, gold, bronze and pearlescent pigments. Farbe und Lack, Nov 2003, 109 (11), 71 (in German)
that its flue-gas desulfurisation plant, now in its third year of operation, has reduced sulfur oxide emissions by 99.9%. Holliday is the world’s largest manufacturer of ultramarine blue and manganese violet pigments, with over 100 years of manufacturing experience. Holliday’s ultramarines are used in: plastics, cosmetics, rubber, paint, artists’ colours and printing inks. Press release from: Holliday Pigments, Morley Street, Kingston upon Hull HU8 8DN, UK, Website: http://www.holliday-pigments.com (10 Jan 2004) & PPCJ, Polymers, Paint, Colour Journal, Nov 2003, 193 (4470), 6
Switzerland: Ciba – textile colorants Ciba will cut its workforce at Basle by about 150-200 people over the next few years as part of the restructuring programme in its textile dyes and colorants business. At the same time, the company is investing SFR 15 M in improving and automating certain processes at the Basle complex. Altogether, 2750 people are currently employed here. Neue Zuercher Zeitung, 14 Nov 2003, 224 (265), 15 (in German)
UK: Holliday – ultramarine Holliday Pigments (part of the Yule Catto group) is celebrating being awarded three important international standards certificates in respect of its ultramarine pigments plant at Hull. The certificates are ISO-14001 (environmental standard); OHSAS18001 (health & safety standard); and ISO-9001 (quality standard). Holliday Pigments is the first company in the Yule Catto group to receive these three certificates. Mr John Duncan (Lead Assessor of the external auditor, United Registrar of Systems) toured Holliday’s manufacturing site at Hull during December 2003. He was evidently very impressed with the systems in place and with the health, safety and environmental awareness of several employees. Towards the end of last year, Holliday hosted an “open day” at the Hull factory site, introducing new product lines of pigments for sundry industries, including cement, printing inks, paper and special effect coatings for motor bikes and mobile telephones. The company also noted
US: Nabaltec/BPU – alumina trihydrate Nabaltec GmbH (of Germany) and BPU Inc (of Texas, US) have signed a memorandum of understanding to create a joint venture – Nashtec LPO – which will build and operate a new 23,000 tonnes/y alumina trihydrate (ATH) plant at Sherwin, TX. The ATH plant will be linked to BPU’s 1.4 M tonnes/y plant for producing smeltergrade alumina. Completion of the project is anticipated in 2005 and output will be marketed by Nashtex under the brandname Apyral-40 CD. Industrial Minerals, Jan 2004, (436), 13
Vietnam: Clariant – plastics masterbatch Clariant has opened a new plant for making plastics masterbatch in Ho Chi Minh City. The plant has a floor area of 1000 square metres and employs 12 people. No details have been released on production volumes. Chimie Hebdo, 22 Dec 2003, (239), 8 (in French)
COMPANIES Accel Color acquires Polytech Accel Color Corp (of Naperville, IL) has acquired Polytech Colour & Compounding (of Canada) for an undisclosed sum. Polytech’s manufacturing operations will now be relocated and expanded at a new site within Ontario. Last year, Polytech reported sales revenue of about $1 M, derived from masterbatches,
FEBRUARY 2004