- Email: [email protected]
World phosphates market tightens gain
Additives for Polymers
June 1998
further development in this sector in Colombia, Peru and Ecuador. Contact: Akzo Nobel NV, Velperweg 76, PO Box 9300, 6800 SB Arnhem, The NetherIam& tel: +31-26 366 4343; fax: +31-26 366 4940
Elementis claims Asia’s only quality iron oxide pigment plant With the opening of a $15 million plant in China, Elementis Pigments claims to have the only Asian-based plant capable of manufacturing high quality iron oxide pigments for the most demanding coatings and chemicals applications. The 12 000 m* facility, with an initial capacity of 20 000 tonnes/year of iron oxide pigments, is located in the Nanshan district of the Shenzhen Economic Zone of Guangdong Province. The plant is a joint venture of Elementis Shenzhen Ltd, in which Elementis holds the majority interest. Jerry Linnenbringer, Elementis Pigments President, describes it as a labour-efficient, cost-effective facility, utilizing locally produced raw materials. It will give the company a competitive edge in coatings and chemicals over European imports. It combines European and US production technology and processes and introduces advanced technology, processes and management techniques, Technical service personnel are also located there, making the facility a regional centre for manufacturing and technical service. Contact: Elementis Pigments, Illinois, USA; tel: +-l-618 628 2409; fmc: + 1-618 628 1029
New PVC colour master-batch line follows customer demand A line to produce PVC polymer-specific colour masterbatch has been commissioned by Vitapol PVC Compounds, at Manchester, UK. It consists of a Papenmeier mixer together with a Battenfeld extruder and pelletizer, with an output rated at one tonne per 0 I 998 Elsevier Science
production shift. The new line has been installed because Vitapol (which is part of the British Vita group) identified a need for colour-matching facilities and colour masternatural PVC batch technology for compounds. The company delivered just under 19 000 tonnes of both rigid and flexible PVC compound last year. It works to IS0 9002 accreditation, with five lines and six highspeed mixers, giving a daily output of up to 80 tonnes. The company believes that it is the first such facility to be installed by a major PVC compounder. A second smaller line will be installed later, to handle smaller lots and special runs. Vitapol PVC Compoun& Unit 64, Bosweil Way, StakehiII Industrial Estate, Mcideton, Manchester M24 2FL, UK; tel: -f 44-161 655 3265; fmc: +44-161655 3735
MARKETING World phosphates market tightens again After two slack years, production of phosphates is rising again and the benchmark price of phosphoric acid has increased from 33.5 cents/lb to 34.5 cents (DM1.35/kg). US producers have raised their prices by 3-4%, led by Albright and Wilson, which is responsible for an estimated 16% of global production of the acid. Other major US producers, including Solutia (which accounts for one-third of phosphate derivatives) and FMC, are also raising prices of phosphoric acid and technical grade phosphates. The market is strongly influenced by forward buying and it is not expected that the price increases will reach customers during the cur-r-rentyear, but they will provide some relief for margins of producers. The move is also seen as signalling that the state of overcapacity in some sectors, notably tripolyphosphate, is now over. But
7
June 1998
Additives for Polymers
Structural adhesives in Europe, by product type (% share) 1994
1997
1998
1999
2000
2002
2004
18.3
21.2
21.9
22.9
23.8
25.2
28.6
Anaerobics
7.8
7.2
7.1
6.8
6.6
6.2
5.8
Cyanoacrylates
7.5
5.8
5.6
5.4
5.2
4.9
4.6
Epoxies
36.4
38.4
36.2
36.0
35.8
35.6
35.4
Polyurethanes
30.0
29.4
29.2
28.9
28.6
28.1
27.6
Acrylics
Source:
Frost & Sullivan
another factor has been reduction in production, in some cases due to environmental pressures. The world phosphates and derivatives business breaks down (according to Albright and Wilson) as: Producers of phosphates Solutia
30% 18
Albright & Wilson Bayer
5
Akzo Nobel
9 10
Hoechst FMC
7
Rhodia
5
Zeneca
6
Others
12
Markets for phosphates Detergents, builders, cleaners
The overall market is growing at an estimated 5.1% a year, and is forecast to pass the US$ 1 billion sales turnover milestone ($1.03 billion) in 2004. Within the overall total (as can be seen by the table above) the relative positions of individual types of adhesive are changing. Acrylics, in particular, are growing at faster than the average growth rate of the whole sector, and F & S sees them increasing their share of sales from 18.3% in 1994 to 21.9% in the current year and continuing on up to 26.6% in 2004.
44%
Food and beverages
19
Water treatment
5
Metal treatment
6
Others
26
Contact: Albright & Wilson Ltd, PO Box 3, 210-222 Hagley Road West, Oldbury, B68 ONN, UK; tel: t44-121420 5312; fax: +44-121420 5111
Acrylics set to gain share as users switch to adhesives In a European market estimated to be worth $728.5 million, structural adhesives are steadily replacing traditional fastening methods in a number of key user markets. In a new report on the industry sector, researchers Frost and Sullivan forecast that the trend 8
will continue, buoyed up by the steadilygrowing popularity of plastics and composites (and also aluminium) as materials for construction, providing opportunities to exploit the improved efficiency in assembly offered by adhesives.
All of the other types will show a gradually shrinking share - which will be marked in the case of anaerobics, cyanoacrylates and polyurethanes, but only slight for epoxies. As the whole sector grows, however, they are not likely to show any actual net loss. Contact: Frost & Sullivan Ltd, 4 Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1 W ODH, UK; tel: i-44-171 915 7824;fmc: +44-171 730 3343
EQUIPMENT Hygrometer is safe for use in hazardous environments Claimed as intrinsically safe is a new portable hygrometer, for quick and easy determination of moisture content in hazardous
01998
Elsevier Science
June 1998
further development in this sector in Colombia, Peru and Ecuador. Contact: Akzo Nobel NV, Velperweg 76, PO Box 9300, 6800 SB Arnhem, The NetherIam& tel: +31-26 366 4343; fax: +31-26 366 4940
Elementis claims Asia’s only quality iron oxide pigment plant With the opening of a $15 million plant in China, Elementis Pigments claims to have the only Asian-based plant capable of manufacturing high quality iron oxide pigments for the most demanding coatings and chemicals applications. The 12 000 m* facility, with an initial capacity of 20 000 tonnes/year of iron oxide pigments, is located in the Nanshan district of the Shenzhen Economic Zone of Guangdong Province. The plant is a joint venture of Elementis Shenzhen Ltd, in which Elementis holds the majority interest. Jerry Linnenbringer, Elementis Pigments President, describes it as a labour-efficient, cost-effective facility, utilizing locally produced raw materials. It will give the company a competitive edge in coatings and chemicals over European imports. It combines European and US production technology and processes and introduces advanced technology, processes and management techniques, Technical service personnel are also located there, making the facility a regional centre for manufacturing and technical service. Contact: Elementis Pigments, Illinois, USA; tel: +-l-618 628 2409; fmc: + 1-618 628 1029
New PVC colour master-batch line follows customer demand A line to produce PVC polymer-specific colour masterbatch has been commissioned by Vitapol PVC Compounds, at Manchester, UK. It consists of a Papenmeier mixer together with a Battenfeld extruder and pelletizer, with an output rated at one tonne per 0 I 998 Elsevier Science
production shift. The new line has been installed because Vitapol (which is part of the British Vita group) identified a need for colour-matching facilities and colour masternatural PVC batch technology for compounds. The company delivered just under 19 000 tonnes of both rigid and flexible PVC compound last year. It works to IS0 9002 accreditation, with five lines and six highspeed mixers, giving a daily output of up to 80 tonnes. The company believes that it is the first such facility to be installed by a major PVC compounder. A second smaller line will be installed later, to handle smaller lots and special runs. Vitapol PVC Compoun& Unit 64, Bosweil Way, StakehiII Industrial Estate, Mcideton, Manchester M24 2FL, UK; tel: -f 44-161 655 3265; fmc: +44-161655 3735
MARKETING World phosphates market tightens again After two slack years, production of phosphates is rising again and the benchmark price of phosphoric acid has increased from 33.5 cents/lb to 34.5 cents (DM1.35/kg). US producers have raised their prices by 3-4%, led by Albright and Wilson, which is responsible for an estimated 16% of global production of the acid. Other major US producers, including Solutia (which accounts for one-third of phosphate derivatives) and FMC, are also raising prices of phosphoric acid and technical grade phosphates. The market is strongly influenced by forward buying and it is not expected that the price increases will reach customers during the cur-r-rentyear, but they will provide some relief for margins of producers. The move is also seen as signalling that the state of overcapacity in some sectors, notably tripolyphosphate, is now over. But
7
June 1998
Additives for Polymers
Structural adhesives in Europe, by product type (% share) 1994
1997
1998
1999
2000
2002
2004
18.3
21.2
21.9
22.9
23.8
25.2
28.6
Anaerobics
7.8
7.2
7.1
6.8
6.6
6.2
5.8
Cyanoacrylates
7.5
5.8
5.6
5.4
5.2
4.9
4.6
Epoxies
36.4
38.4
36.2
36.0
35.8
35.6
35.4
Polyurethanes
30.0
29.4
29.2
28.9
28.6
28.1
27.6
Acrylics
Source:
Frost & Sullivan
another factor has been reduction in production, in some cases due to environmental pressures. The world phosphates and derivatives business breaks down (according to Albright and Wilson) as: Producers of phosphates Solutia
30% 18
Albright & Wilson Bayer
5
Akzo Nobel
9 10
Hoechst FMC
7
Rhodia
5
Zeneca
6
Others
12
Markets for phosphates Detergents, builders, cleaners
The overall market is growing at an estimated 5.1% a year, and is forecast to pass the US$ 1 billion sales turnover milestone ($1.03 billion) in 2004. Within the overall total (as can be seen by the table above) the relative positions of individual types of adhesive are changing. Acrylics, in particular, are growing at faster than the average growth rate of the whole sector, and F & S sees them increasing their share of sales from 18.3% in 1994 to 21.9% in the current year and continuing on up to 26.6% in 2004.
44%
Food and beverages
19
Water treatment
5
Metal treatment
6
Others
26
Contact: Albright & Wilson Ltd, PO Box 3, 210-222 Hagley Road West, Oldbury, B68 ONN, UK; tel: t44-121420 5312; fax: +44-121420 5111
Acrylics set to gain share as users switch to adhesives In a European market estimated to be worth $728.5 million, structural adhesives are steadily replacing traditional fastening methods in a number of key user markets. In a new report on the industry sector, researchers Frost and Sullivan forecast that the trend 8
will continue, buoyed up by the steadilygrowing popularity of plastics and composites (and also aluminium) as materials for construction, providing opportunities to exploit the improved efficiency in assembly offered by adhesives.
All of the other types will show a gradually shrinking share - which will be marked in the case of anaerobics, cyanoacrylates and polyurethanes, but only slight for epoxies. As the whole sector grows, however, they are not likely to show any actual net loss. Contact: Frost & Sullivan Ltd, 4 Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1 W ODH, UK; tel: i-44-171 915 7824;fmc: +44-171 730 3343
EQUIPMENT Hygrometer is safe for use in hazardous environments Claimed as intrinsically safe is a new portable hygrometer, for quick and easy determination of moisture content in hazardous
01998
Elsevier Science