successfully commissioned last yearand is now consistently achieving unitproduction costs that are as much as50% below costs of similar facilities inthe US or Europe. Elementis has alsorecently pushed through a 25%increase in chrome pigment prices.Hence, the company anticipatessubstantially improved profit margins onits chrome pigments business in 2005.

European Chemical News, 21 Feb 2005, 82 (2135), 6

China: Guizhou Huaneng – carbon black

A number of multinational producers –notably Cabot, Degussa, Tokai andSumitomo – are involved in majorcarbon black projects in China.However, there has been relatively littlemention of Chinese producers, apartfrom Zhenya and Shanghai CokingChemical as minority stakeholders inprojects led by Degussa or Cabot.Hence, the newly commissioned plantof Guizhou Huaneng Carbon Black CoLtd is quite significant.

This is a 15,000 tonnes/y plant,sited on the Guiyang coal-gaschemicals complex. It employs newtechnology developed by the ChinaRubber Group Carbon BlackResearch & Design Institute, whichentails collection and recycling of 99%of all the tail-gas. The plant cost RMBYuan 35.7 M to build.

China Chemical Reporter, 26 Jan 2005, 16 (3), 14

Cuba: Geominera Oriente – GCC

Geominera Oriente plans to increaseits output of all grades of calciumcarbonate from its mines andprocessing facilities at Santiago deCuba. Current output is running at1440 tonnes/y and this should rise to4800 tonnes/y. This will include asignificant proportion of high-qualityground calcium carbonate (GCC) foruse in the manufacture of soaps andcosmetics. However, it also includescrude material used for variousapplications in the local constructionsector and in the nickel mining andsmelting sector.

BNAmericas Mining News, 21 Feb 2005, Website:http://www.Bnamericas.com

Finland: Kemira – gypsum pigments

Kemira is the only company in theworld supplying gypsum/calcium

sulfate pigments. Its Co-Coatpigment, derived from phospho-gypsum waste generated at thecompany’s phosphoric acid plant atSiilinjärvi is used for coating printingpapers to improve brightness, opacityand printability. Kemira recentlyannounced a €10 M project to install anew production line for Co-Coat atSiilinjärvi, raising capacity here from110,000 tonnes/y to 150,000 tonnes/yin early 2006.

TiO2 Worldwide Update, Jan/Feb 2005, 13 (1), 26 &Chemical Week, 16 Feb 2005, 167 (6)

Japan: DIC – DPP pigments

A diketo-pyrrolo-pyrrole (DPP) redpigment has been jointly developedby Dainippon Ink & Chemicals (DIC)and its wholly-owned subsidiary SunChemical. DPP pigments were firstinvented by Ciba more than 20 yearsago and patent protection has nowexpired. Clariant has already movedinto this sector, commissioning a newDPP pigments plant in Germany lastNovember. (See ‘Focus on Pigments’,Feb 2005, 6).

DIC’s first DPP plant will be built atits Kashima complex. No details havebeen given on the scale of theinvestment or on the anticipatedcapacity. The main target customerswill be automotive paintmanufacturers.

Japan Chemical Week, 3 Feb 2005, 46 (2304), 2

Thailand & China: Tokai – carbonblack

Towards the end of last year, TokaiCarbon completed the installation of anew 20,000 tonnes/y line at itsSriracha carbon black plant inThailand. It has now started work onthe next stage of the project, whichwill raise total capacity here to110,000 tonnes/y.

Meanwhile, the company has alsobegun work on a new carbon blackplant at Tianjin, which is being built asan 80:20 joint venture between Tokaiand the Sumitomo group. The plant isdue on-stream in 1Q 2006 and it hasbeen designed for expansion to100,000 tonnes/y in the second phaseof the project here.

Japan Chemical Week, 27 Jan 2005, 46 (2303), 12

Ukraine: Sumy Khimprom – TiO2

Sumy Khimprom has been upgradingits TiO2 pigment plant at Sumy (280km east-northeast of Kiev, on theRiver Psel) with the installation of newequipment, such as Andritz filters.Although the plant is still rated at anameplate capacity of 40,000tonnes/y, production last year –41,938 tonnes – exceeded this level.Ukraine’s total output was 119,813tonnes – an increase of 36.5% on the2003 figure. Exports increased by32.5% to 112,856 tonnes, valued atjust over $135 M.

European Chemical News, 28 Feb 2005, 82 (2136), 12

US: Techmer – plastics colorants

Techmer PM expanded its total UScapacity for making colourconcentrates by over 15% in 2004thanks to investment at Clinton, TN;Rancho Dominguez, CA; Dalton, GA;Gainesville, GA; and Wichita, KS. Thecompany has also stepped up itscapacity outside the US with a seriesof joint ventures and alliances. Salesrevenue increased by 10% last yearand is expected to increase by afurther 10% in 2005.

Techmer has also been expandingits product range, its latest innovationsincluding: a new masterbatch additivefor advanced odour control; a specialUV-curable concentrate for slit-tapeuse; a high-flame retardancymasterbatch for polypropylene; and anew anti-blocking agent.

Chemical Market Reporter, 7 Feb 2005, (Website:http://www.chemicalmarketreporter.com)

Vietnam: Akzo Nobel – pigments forpaint

Akzo Nobel has just brought on-stream a new plant in Vietnamdedicated to manufacturing pigmentsfor the paint industry. No details havebeen given on the size of the plant,nor on the specific types of pigmentproduced. Akzo Nobel has beenproducing pigments in Vietnam since1992, but its old plant had reachedthe limits of its expansion potential. Itis not clear whether this plant will beretained in the long-term or whether itwill be closed once the new plant isfully up and running.

Kemivärlden, Jan 2005, (1), 5 (in Swedish)

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