have developed a new method formaking DPP pigments, described as“red/green technology”, environment-friendly and cost-effective. MCArecently signed a joint ventureagreement with First Color Co (aSouth Korean pigments manufacturer)to establish a new DPP pigmentsplant in South Korea. No details havebeen released on the scale or targeton-stream date for this project. In duecourse, the two companies hope toextend their partnership to cover theproduction and marketing of otherhigh-performance organic pigments.

Farbe und Lack, Jun 2005, 111 (6), 19 (in German)

Taiwan: Clariant – masterbatch

Clariant has inaugurated a newmanufacturing facility for blackplastics masterbatch at Taoyuan. Thefacility is equipped with an extrusionline, producing high-quality nylon andpolyester masterbatches that areused for making synthetic textilefibres. Also at the Taoyuan site,Clariant makes coloured masterbatchand various products for white semi-dull and full-dull fibres. The companyalso makes masterbatches forinjection-moulded engineering resinshere. The new line for blackmasterbatch is situated in a separatebuilding in order to sustain consistentoperations and avoid productcontamination.

Plastics and Rubber Asia, Jun 2005, 20 (134), 6

Taiwan: JSR – liquid crystals

Following a ceremony marking thelaying of the first cornerstone, JSRMicro Taiwan, a wholly-ownedsubsidiary of Japan Synthetic RubberCorp (JSR), began construction workon its new factory for making liquidcrystals in June. The location hasbeen identified as Yunlin Foowei (notas reported in ‘Focus on Pigments’,May 2005, 5). The factory will producethe colour pigment dispersed resistsincorporated in LCD screens.

Press release from: JSR Corp, Japan. Website:http://www.jsr.co.jp (1 Jun 2005)

UK: Clariant – masterbatch

Clariant Masterbatches hascentralised all its UK activities atWigan. Production at the Watford site

ceased at the end of July 2004,though for a while the companyretained a warehouse and customerservice office at the Watford site. (See‘Focus on Pigments’, Aug 2004, 6).Clariant vacated its Watford premisesat the end of June 2005 and the fiveremaining employees were offeredtransfers to Wigan.

Plastics and Rubber Weekly, 8 Apr 2005, 3

US: Albemarle – ATH

Albemarle plans to convert a formerzeolite plant at Pasadena (Texas) intoa 25,000 tonnes/y fine precipitatedalumina trihydrate (ATH) plant. Theproject should be completed next yearand it will lift Albemarle’s ATHcapacity by 20%.

Chemical and Engineering News, 13 Jun 2005, 83(24), 10-11 (Website: http://www.cen-online.org)

US: Degussa – fumed silica

Degussa has started-up a new fumedsilica dispersions plant at Mobile, AL.Initially, this plant will make water-based dispersions of fumed silica. Itcan also be readily adapted for theproduction of dispersions of fumedalumina, fumed titania and fumedmixed metal oxides.

Chemical Week, 8 Jun 2005, 167 (19)

US: O’Neil – plastics colorants

O’Neil Color & Compounding hasadded 9000 tonnes/y of plasticscompounding capacity by installingnew production lines at its NewJersey and Tennessee plants. Thenew investment will support thecompany’s determination to increasesales of colour concentrates andspeciality TPE compounds.

Plastics Additives and Compounding, May/Jun 2005,7 (3), 8

Vietnam: Avireco & Viet-My & Lidisaco– TiO2 pigment, using Altair process

The Vietnamese Government hasofficially approved the Avireco jointventure project designed to convertindigenous ilmenite into TiO2 pigment,employing the Altair hydrochlorideprocess. Avireco is a US-basedcompany, jointly owned by US andVietnamese interests, which alreadymines ilmenite for sale to domestic

and export customers. Avireco has a50% stake in the pigment joint venture.Viet-My Co (a locally owned company)has a 40% stake. Lidisaco (part of theGovernment’s Mineral ResourcesDepartment) has a 10% stake. Theplant will have an initial capacity formaking 10,000 tonnes/y of TiO2pigment and it will be located in thesouthern province of Binh Thuan.Construction is scheduled to begin in3Q 2005, with pigment production dueto commence in 3Q 2006.

Industrial Minerals, Jun 2005, (453) & TiO2 WorldwideUpdate, May/Jun 2005, 13 (3), 23

COMPANIESAceto identifies Chemicals &Colorants as a core business

Aceto Corp plans to concentrate on itsthree core segments – HealthSciences, Agrochemicals andChemicals & Colorants. The companyis a global leader in the distributionand marketing of variousbiopharmaceuticals, chemically-derived pharmaceuticals andspeciality chemicals, which are usedas raw materials in the agricultural,healthcare and paint and ink sectors.Its business in Landfill Odorend,Aceto’s patent-pending landfill odourcontrol product, will be incorporatedinto the Chemicals & Colorantssegment. Trials have confirmed thatusing Landfill Odorend can reducehydrogen sulfide emissions by 85%.

To underline its strategy ofconcentrating on core businesses,Aceto plans to sell off its InstitutionalSanitary Supplies, which makescleaning solutions, fragrances anddeodorants for the commercial andindustrial sector. ISS contributed $5.7M to the Aceto group’s total salesrevenue of $76.5 M for the year toend-June 2004.

Press Release from: Aceto Corp, One Hollow Lane,Lake Success, NY 11042, USA, Website:http://www.aceto.com (2 Jun 2005)

BASF & Sakai to collaborate on TiO2for cosmetics

BASF and Sakai Chemical haveannounced plans to collaborate in aglobal alliance on the development ofa new range of ultrafine grades of

6 JULY 2005

F O C U S O N P I G M E N T S