China dominates global dyestuffsindustry

Statistics can be misleading unlessthe parameters are clearly defined.This is particularly true in the case ofstatistics on China. In a recent newsitem in the Chinese trade press, it wasstated that China’s organic dyes andpigments production increased by7.4% in 2005 to 797,000 tonnes. Oncloser inspection, it transpires that thefigure of 797,000 tonnes actuallyrelates only to production datareported by members of the ChinaDyestuff Industry Association (CDIA).The country’s total organic dyes andpigments production was more like1.2 M tonnes in 2005. (See also‘Focus on Pigments’, Apr 2006, 2).

Certainly Chinese suppliers havecome to dominate the world dyestuffsindustry. US production of dyes hasdwindled to very low levels. Europe’scontribution to the global dyestuffsindustry nowadays essentiallyconsists of a few high-performancecolorants. At the ChemSpec exhibitionfor fine and speciality chemicals, heldin Geneva in June this year, abouthalf of the 400 exhibitors wereChinese companies.

Xiandai Huagong, 20 May 2006, 26 (5), 7-12 (inChinese) & Chemical Market Reporter, 19 Jun 2006,(Website: http://www.chemicalmarketreporter.com)

PLANTSBulgaria: Kaolin Co – kaolin

Kaolin Co officially opened its newkaolin mine at Doirantsi (in theShumen district) on 5 May 2006. Thisrepresented the completion of a $2 Mproject for site preparation and minedevelopment. The Doirantsi deposit isestimated to contain 10 M tonnes ofkaolin, but no details have beenrevealed on the anticipated scale ofproduction.

Meanwhile, the company has alsocompleted a $3.3 M project to mineand process foundry sands in theDevnya district. Total output ofprocessed foundry sands is about300,000 tonnes/y – all of which isdestined for the Drujba and Stindglass factories operated by the Yioulagroup (based in Greece).

Asian Glass, Jun/Jul 2006, 37

France: Polytechs – plasticcompounds & masterbatch

Polytechs (of Cany-Barville in theSeine-Maritime département) is oneof the largest independent plasticcompounders and masterbatchproducers in France. It employs 155people and it reported pre-tax profit at€1.35 M on sales revenues of €28 Min 2005. The company invests 8% ofits total sales revenue in research anddevelopment. Exports account for60% of total sales. Customersinclude: Total, Bayer, BASF, Borealisand Basell. The company is currentlyexpanding its production facilities, butno further details are available as yet.

Plastiques et Caoutchoucs Magazine, May/Jun 2006,(840), 19 (in French)

India: TTP – TiO2

Travancore Titanium Products (TTP)has been ordered by the SupremeCourt Monitoring Committee onHazardous Wastes to speed up workon the implementation of pollutioncontrol measures at its TrivandrumTiO2 plant. The plant attained itscurrent nameplate capacity of 15,000tonnes/y in 1981 and it has alwaysdischarged virtually all its spent acidand copperas waste into coastalwaters via a relatively short pipeline.Local residents and fishermen haveprotested about this for many yearsand at times they have blocked theeffluent pipeline, forcing TTP totemporarily suspend pigmentproduction.

In May 1995, the Kerala Ministry ofHealth served a “notice of closure” onthe TTP plant. But, a “stay ofexecution” was granted when thecompany promised to improvepollution control measures. Ten yearslater, the Kerala Governmentapproved TTP’s plans to doublepigment capacity to 30,000 tonnes/yat the same time as installing a wasteacid recycling unit and establishing adedicated on-land site for dumpingsolid wastes. The deadline forinstalling the acid recycling unit was26 April 2006.

Just three months away from thedeadline, TTP had not even awardedan engineering contract for theproject. The company thereforeapplied to the High Court for thedeadline to be waived. The

application was duly granted, but itseems that TTP will now be obliged toinstall the necessary pollution controlmeasures before – rather than at thesame time as – its pigment capacityexpansion project

Chemical Business (India), May 2006, 20 (5), 23-24 &TiO2 Worldwide Update, Mar/Apr 2006, 14 (2), 17-18

Poland: PolyOne – plasticsmasterbatch

PolyOne is building a plant at Kutno(in the Lodz region of central Poland)for the manufacture of colourmasterbatches. The customers foroutput from this plant will primarilyconsist of companies making plasticextrusions and mouldings. The plantshould be ready for operation in 1Q2007. It will be PolyOne’s secondmasterbatch plant in Central Europe:the company opened a unit at GyörCity (Hungary) in 1998.

Chimie Pharma Hebdo, 19 Jun 2006, (344) (Website:http://www.france-chimie.com) (in French)

Thailand: Toyo Ink – plasticsmasterbatch

Toyo Ink Manufacturing has converteda plant in Bangkok to manufacturemasterbatch and colorants forpolypropylene used mainly forautomotive applications. The plantreopened in May 2006. Toyo Inkpreviously made photogravure inkshere. The company has alsorefurbished its printing inkmanufacturing facilities elsewhere inThailand and it has installed newequipment at its can coatings factoryin Thailand.

Japan Chemical Week, 8 Jun 2006, 47 (2370), 2

US: Alloy Polymers & Ampacet –plastic compounds

Alloy Polymers Inc (of Richmond, VA)has purchased a plasticscompounding facility at Crockett, TXfrom Ampacet Corp. Over the pastseven years, Ampacet had beenrunning this facility primarily to serviceits wire and cable toll compoundingbusiness, but it has decided that thiswill no longer be core activity. MrRobert DeFalco (CEO) stated: “Thedivestment will permit greater focuson Ampacet core strengths as thepre-eminent global supplier of colour

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