European Aniline Production

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MARKETS Sb2O3 – six price rises in 14 months Antimony trioxide prices are going up again, reflecting continuing escalation in the price of antimony metal. On 12 Sep, Great Lakes Chemical Corp announced that, with effect from 25 Sep 2002, prices for its Sb2O3 deliveries to customers in the Americas would increase by $0.25 per pound, while prices for deliveries to customers in Europe and the Asia/Pacific region would increase by $550 per tonne. On 3 Oct, the company announced that, with effect from 26 Oct 2002, prices for its Sb2O3 deliveries to customers in the Americas would increase by a further $0.50 per pound, while prices for deliveries to customers in Europe and the Asia/Pacific region would increase by $1100 per tonne. Price increases for Sb2O3 had already been implemented in Sep 2001, Apr, Jun and Aug 2002. (See also ‘Focus on Pigments’, Jul 2002, 5). At the same time as the latest price rise for Sb2O3, Great Lakes Chemical announced price increases for its flame retardants based on pentabromodiphenyl oxide – by rather more modest increments, namely $0.10 per pound in the Americas and $220 per tonne in Europe and Asia/Pacific. Press releases, 12 Sep & 3 Oct 2002, from: Great Lakes Chemical Corp, PO Box 2200, West Lafayette, IN 47906, USA. Website: http://www.greatlakeschem.com

DuPont raises prices for TiO2 supplied to North American papermakers With effect from 1 Oct 2002, DuPont will raise the prices of its TiO2 pigments supplied to the North American paper industry – by $0.04 per pound in the US market and by C$0.06 per pound in the Canadian market. These price rises will not affect deliveries of pigments destined for use in base papers used for making decorative laminates. European Chemical News, 16 Sep 2002, 77 (2021), 10

Degussa raises European prices for pigment grades of carbon black Degussa plans to raise European prices for its pigment grades of

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carbon black, with effect from 28 Oct. The price of gas black will increase by 4.5%, the price of lamp black by 5% and the price of furnace carbon black by 7%. European Chemical News, 21 Oct 2002, 77 (2026), 12

American Synpol raises prices for carbon black masterbatch With effect from 14 Oct 2002, American Synpol (of Port Neches, TX) intends to implement a $0.02 per pound price increase on its carbon black masterbatch shipments. Press release, 1 Oct 2002, from: Ameripol Synpol Corp, 146 South High Street, Akron, OH 44308-1493, USA. Website: http://www.ameripol.com

World spending on iron oxide pigments approaching $2 bn According to SRI Consulting, world expenditure on iron oxide pigments was $1.8 bn in 2000, of which Western Europe accounted for 39%, North America for 30%, leaving 31% for the rest of the world. By volume, consumption breaks down as 71% synthetic iron oxides, 29% natural pigments. The construction industry accounts for about 50% of total demand, including notably paints and concrete products such as roofing tiles and paving slabs. Over the next five years, SRI is forecasting 6-7% growth in the offtake by the US construction industry and this should help to firm up iron oxide pigment prices, which increased by 5% in early 2002 after suffering a slight decrease last year. Chemical Market Reporter, 1 Jul 2002 (Website: http://www.chemicalmarketreporter.com)

Wollastonite, barytes & gypsum from Mexico In a survey of Mexico’s industrial minerals industry, ‘IM’ notes that wollastonite has become a prominent item thanks to Nyco’s operations at Hermosillo in the Sonora region. Mine capacity is 240,000 tonnes/y and Nyco has on-site facilities for processing 150,000 tonnes/y of wollastonite. Mexican barytes production has been shrinking. Current output is of the order of 130,000 tonnes/y – only just over half the level achieved in

1995. Minerales & Arcillas (Minar), with a 100,000 tonnes/y mine near Galaena, is a significant barytes producer. Mexican gypsum production has been stimulated by demand from plasterboard manufacturers on the West Coast of the United States. Exports are now approaching 3 M tonnes/y and major customers are identified in a table in this survey. Industrial Minerals, Jul 2002, (418), 24-35

GCC in the Yangtze area of China China’s consumption of ground calcium carbonate (GCC) is currently estimated at around 5 M tonnes/y. Two maps featured in this article identify the locations of the main marble deposits, the GCC plants and the paper mills in the Yangtze area. Imerys is one of the prominent foreign participants in this industry, producing up to 120,000 tonnes/y of GCC slurry at its Wuhu complex. Industrial Minerals, Jul 2002, (418), 48-53

Duty-free quota of 2500 tonnes on Nepalese ZnO imported into India Under the latest trade agreement between India and Nepal, annual quotas for duty-free imports of a number of products have been set. In respect of zinc oxide imports from Nepal, the quota for the current fiscal year will be 2500 tonnes. On imports in excess of this amount, the Indian Customs Authority will levy a tariff of 35.2%. The Customs Authority also confirmed that imports from Nepal will be permitted only via six specified Customs stations – at Kakarbhitta/ Naxalbari, Biratnagar/Jogbani, Birganj/Raxaul, Bhairahawa/Nautanwa, Nepalgani/Nepalganj Road and Mahendranagar/Banbasa. Business Line, 31 Aug 2002, 9 (242), 11

European aniline production approaching 1 M tonnes/y Aniline was once the essential building-block for the organic dyes and pigments industry and although aniline is still required for the manufacture of certain colorants, by far the major end-use for aniline nowadays is in the manufacture of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate

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F O C US (MDI). About 80-85% of the world’s aniline is accounted for by the manufacture of MDI and MDI itself is a key component in making polyurethanes. According to DeWitt consultants, European production of aniline was 976,000 tonnes in 2001, virtually unchanged from the prior year. In 2002, production is estimated at 1.017 M tonnes, representing a 4% increase. There is still some overcapacity in the European aniline sector following a wave of expansions during the late 1990s. However, capacity utilisation has now improved to almost 90% – compared with only 80% in 1999 – and, with no new capacity anticipated, capacity utilisation is expected to rise still further. European aniline consumption is forecast to increase at 4.4% per annum between now and 2005. Consumption growth over the past two years has been slightly below this trendline rate. A table in this article shows details of company, location and capacity of aniline facilities in Europe, the US and Asia. Two large Chinese projects are on the horizon at the present time. In 4Q 2005, a 150,000 tonne/y aniline plant is due to come on-stream at Caojing, near Shanghai. The plant will be operated by Shanghai Lianheng Isocyanate, a joint venture involving Huntsman, BASF and local partners. A 200,000 tonne/y aniline project has been proposed for installation at the Nanjing Chemical Industry Park. Meanwhile, Karoon Petrochemical plans to commission a new 30,000 tonnes/y aniline plant at Bandar Imam (Iran) by 2004. European Chemical News, 8 Jul 2002, 77 (2013), 16

West European paintmakers use 2.2 M tonnes/y of pigments, fillers & extenders The West European paint industry’s overall consumption of pigments, fillers and extenders amounted to 2.2 M tonnes, worth €5.3 bn in 2001. A table in this article identifies pigment and extender consumption by type. Germany accounted for 694,050 tonnes altogether; Italy for 399,980 tonnes; France for 257,020 tonnes; the UK for 234,015 tonnes; and Spain for 179,995 tonnes, leaving 460,015 tonnes for other countries.

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Consumption is forecast to reach 2.5 M tonnes, worth €6.4 bn by 2006. European Paint and Resin News, Jun 2002, 40 (6), 13

PLANTS Canada: Clariant – plastics masterbatch As foreshadowed in ‘Focus on Pigments’, Dec 2001, 3, Clariant has now closed its plastics masterbatch plant at Mississauga, ON and transferred operations from there to a new plant at Lone Oak Court, near Etobicoke, ON. Chimie Hebdo, 30 Sep 2002, (186), 7 (in French)

China: Cabot, Shanghai Coking Chemical & Yangzi Petrochemical – carbon black

dyes and dispersion pigments at Wuxi to 1000 tonnes/y and 2000 tonnes/y respectively. These facilities were originally set up by Wuxi Advanced Chemicals, a joint venture between Nippon Kayaku and a local enterprise. However, Nippon Kayaku took 100% control earlier this year. Also at Wuxi, Nippon Kayaku operates a unit for making reactive dyes, the capacity of which was extended from 600 tonnes/y to 1000 tonnes/y last year. Chimie Hebdo, 2 Sep 2002, (182), 8 (in French)

China: Puyang Guangpu – carbon black Puyang Guangpu plans to increase the capacity of its Puyang carbon black plant (in Henan province) from 5000 tonnes/y to 40,000 tonnes/y. The plant will continue to employ locally developed process technology. Chemical Week, 11 Sep 2002, 164 (35), 21

Shanghai Cabot Chemical Co is a 70:30 joint venture between Cabot Corp (of the US) and Shanghai Coking Chemical Co, established in 1988 to build and operate a carbon black plant at a site in Shanghai. The plant’s capacity was doubled to 70,000 tonnes/y in 1998 and further expansion is now planned to meet increased demand from Chinese customers. Shanghai Cabot will invest $25 M to install a new line, raising capacity by more than 50,000 tonnes/y. The new line should be fully operational by early 2004. In connection with a separate project, Cabot has signed a letter of intent with Yangzi Petrochemical Co to participate in building and running a new carbon black plant at the chemical industry park in Nanjing. Other major projects planned for this park include: a 100,000-200,000 tonnes/y vinyl acetate plant; a 40,000 tonnes/y polyacetals plant; a 50,000 tonnes/y methyl methacryate plant; and a 100,000 tonnes/y plant for making bottle-grade polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Rubber and Plastics News, 23 Sep 2002, 32 (4), 6 & Chemical Week, 28 Aug-4 Sep 2002, 164 (34), s3-s6

India: KMML – TiO2 Kerala Minerals & Metals Ltd (KMML) has committed Rup 230 M to expanding its TiO2 pigment capacity at Sankaramangalam in the Kollam district of Kerala. As part of this expansion programme, the company is about to install a 50,000 litres liquid oxygen storage facility. ‘CW’ reports that the programme is designed to raise pigment capacity to 38,000 tonnes/y. However, this may be only an interim target, because KMML’s original plan called for raising pigment capacity to 60,000 tonnes/y. The company continues to benefit from increased sales in both domestic and export markets. The rate of sales tax levied by the Kerala provincial government is currently only 8%, whereas the standard rate applicable would be 30%. The lower rate came into force following protests from both KMML and the local TiO2 pigment consumers. The government recently notified an extension of the period for charging the lower rate – to 31 Mar 2003. Chemical Weekly, 1 Oct 2002, 48 (6), 112 & 15 Oct 2002, 48 (8), 116

China: Nippon Kayaku – dispersion pigments Effective Oct 2002, Nippon Kayaku will double the capacities of its facilities for making water-soluble

India: Travancore Titanium – TiO2 For the year to end-March 2002, Travancore Titanium Products (TTP)

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