Coatings World - January 2009

Fresh Paint

tion, particularly for motor vehicles. On the other hand, the two major markets for aluminum powders and flakes are chemicals—where they are used as catalysts, reducing agents and fillers— and paints and coatings, for use as pigments. Most demand for the costliest metal powders—tantalum and precious metals—comes from the computer, electronic components, and electrical and electronic equipment markets, for products such as film pastes and capacitor anodes. Because of their high cost, these powders represent a fairly large share of the metal powder market in value terms, despite their small volumes. For instance, the precious metal powders, with a total volume of just 1.5 million pounds, accounted for one-quar-ter of value demand in 2007.

duction line is being shifted from one plant to a nearby location. However, the reduced plant is not to be closed. In Kleve, located in the Lower Rhine, production will cease at the end of 2010.

The five adhesive plants had nearly 500 employees. How many jobs will eventually be eliminated is not yet clear.

Henkel completed the biggest acquisition in its history in early April by

AKZONOBEL ACQUIRES MINORITY
SHAREHOLDING IN COIL COATINGS JV

AkzoNobel has acquired Nippon Paint’s 25% minority shareholding in their joint venture company in Europe, Akzo Nobel Nippon Paint Holding B.V.

The former 75/25 joint venture, which was first established in 1993 between Courtaulds and Nippon Paint, involved the manufacture and sale of coil coatings in the greater European region.

The transaction will increase AkzoNobel’s shareholding in the company to 100% and will allow the merger of the company and its subsidiaries into the AkzoNobel group. Financial details were not disclosed.

HENKEL CLOSES FOUR ADHESIVES PLANTS IN EUROPE Henkel is streamlining its expanded adhesives production and is to close four adhesives plants in Europe, following a major purchase. The integration of National Starch into the Düsseldorf-based group will be accompanied by the closure of the Kleve plant, two in France and one in the UK. This was confirmed by a Henkel spokesman at the end of November. In Italy, one pro-