near Moscow. ZLKZ is one of the fivelargest dyestuffs manufacturers inRussia. The company also operatessubstantial paint manufacturingfacilities.

Vestnik Khimicheskoi Promyshlennosty, Summer2002, 22 (2), 42 (in Russian)

UK: Huntsman Tioxide – TiO2

The official opening of HuntsmanTioxide’s second 50,000 tonnes/yICON unit at Greatham on Teessidetook place on 8 November 2002 in thepresence of Mr Jon M.Huntsman(founder and Chairman of theHuntsman group) and his son MrPeter Huntsman (President & ChiefExecutive Officer). The new unit wasdeclared “fully operational” on 8October and it brings total TiO2pigment capacity at Greatham to100,000 tonnes/y, consisting of twoICON units, the first having beeninstalled in 1990. Older facilities at thesite, with a combined capacity of30,000 tonnes/y, were shut downearlier this year and have now beendismantled.

Huntsman Tioxide invested £58 Mto establish the new unit, representingapproximately $1830 per tonne/y ofcapacity. This helps to secure thefuture of the Tioxide site at Greatham,where 250 direct employees and 250contractors’ employees arepermanently based.

Mr Peter Huntsman commented:“The opening of the new ICON-2 plantis not only a tremendous benefit toour Tioxide business; we see it as awelcome and positive contrast to theannouncements of plant closuresmade by other chemical companieson Teesside over the last 18 months.Huntsman is doing its best to helpreverse this trend through a numberof projects – such as ICON-2 and therecently completed £30 million BOChydrogen plant at our North Tees siteand the £20 million overhaul of ourethylene cracker at Wilton. While webelieve our investments have donemuch to sustain the chemical industryon Teesside, much more remains tobe done and it cannot be done by anyone company in isolation. If there is tobe a viable chemical industry onTeesside well into the future, weurgently need new investment. Toachieve that, the industry needs thefull support of local, regional and

national political and economic forces,as well as a more realistic approachto the issue of grants and incentivesto help attract serious would-beinvestors to Teesside.”

Huntsman Tioxide is the leadingmanufacturer of TiO2 pigment inEurope and the third largest in theworld. The company employs almost3000 people and has eight plants,with a combined capacity of just under600,000 tonnes/y.”

TiO2 Worldwide Update, Sep/Dec 2002, 10 (5/6), 14

US: Columbian – carbon black

A hurricane hit Texas and Louisianaon 3 October 2002, causingtemporary shutdowns at a number ofchemical and rubber plants.Columbian closed its carbon black atNorth Bend (near Centerville) inLouisiana for about four days.American Synpol closed itsprocessing facilities at Port Neches,TX, for about two weeks. Plantsoperated by Firestone, Bayer andDSM were also temporarily closed,but actual reported damage wasremarkably slight.

Rubber and Plastics News II, 14 Oct 2002, 24 (1), 3

US: DEC – carbon black

Degussa Engineered Carbon (DEC)has decided to close its 100,000tonnes/y carbon black plant atBaytown, TX. It will ceasemanufacturing rubber grades at theend of December 2002 and it willcease manufacturing pigment gradesduring 1Q 2003. The Baytown site willcontinue to be used as a carbon blackdistribution centre. However,cessation of manufacturing activitieswill result in 65 job losses here.

Customers’ requirements will becatered for by ongoing activities at thecompany’s five other US plants, whichhave a combined capacity of 445,000tonnes/y. The plant at Baytown willnot be dismantled and DEC holds outthe possibility that it may be reopenedat some stage in the future if there isa significant upswing in demand.

DEC and other carbon blackproducers in North America havebeen affected by poor profit marginsand weak market conditions for manymonths. During 3Q 2002, they postedprice increases of 9-10%, but it is notyet clear how successful they were in

actually implementing theseincreases. Currently US carbon blackprices are reported in the range$0.33-0.35 per pound.

Chemical Week, 13 Nov 2002, 164 (45), 33 &Chemical and Engineering News, 11 Nov 2002, 80(45), 20

US: Ferco – plastics colorants

Ferco Color makes proprietary colourconcentrates for packaging, toys,medical products and householdgoods. About 60% of its output isbased on polyolefins, while the other40% is based on engineering plastics.Until recently, its production facilitieswere housed in two separatebuildings in Ontario, CA, with a totalfloor area of about 20,000 squarefeet. The company has just moved itssix production lines to a much largersite nearby, with a floor area of 40,000square feet under a single roof.Additional staff have been recruited,bringing the total workforce to 50people. A seventh production line is tobe added at the new Ontario site inJanuary 2003.

Ferco Color is also establishing aplant at Memphis, TN, which willinitially be equipped with two rebuiltproduction lines. This plant willemploy 15 people and should beready for operation in July 2003.

The company is forecasting salesfor this year at $6 M, which wouldrepresent a 16% increase on the 2001figure.

Plastics News, 25 Nov 2002 (Website:http://www.plasticsnews.com)

US: Polymer Color Services – plasticscolorants

Polymer Color Services LLC makescolour concentrates for use inthermoplastics, polyvinyl chloride(PVC) and cellulosics. Its plant islocated at Easely, SC. The companyrecently doubled productivity at its firstthree production lines here and addeda fourth line: this brought totalcapacity to 3000 s tons/y of colourconcentrates. Polymer Color Servicesis now looking at suitable sites in theMid-West region with a view toestablishing plastics compoundingfacilities.

Plastics News, 9 Sep 2002. Website:http://www.plasticsnews.com

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