AkzoNobel forms partnership in China
to secure TiO2 supply
AkzoNobel has entered into a partnership
in China with Quangxi CAVA Titanium
Industry Co. Ltd. for the production and
supply of titanium dioxide (TiO2). The
collaboration, which includes the construction of a new TiO2 plant in Qinzhou,
will help to secure AkzoNobel’s growing
titanium dioxide raw material needs for
the Asian market. Financial details were
not disclosed.
Rapid growth is expected within the
global coatings and paints market and
most of this demand growth will occur in
Asia, especially China. As a result, the regional demand for TiO2 will also rise.
“By entering into this partnership with
CAVA, we will enhance security of supply
in Asia for a critical raw material,” said
Werner Fuhrmann, AkzoNobel’s executive
committee member responsible for supply
chain and sourcing.
Quangxi CAVA Titanium Industry Co.
Ltd. was recently established to produce
titanium dioxide and is currently in the
process of designing and constructing a
100,000-ton TiO2 plant at an industrial
site in Qinzhou. Production is expected to
start in early 2014.
Titanium dioxide is the most widely
used white pigment in the industry because of its brightness and opacity. Approximately five million tons of
pigmentary TiO2 are consumed annually
worldwide, mainly in the coatings, plastics and paper industries.
AkzoNobel is the largest global paints
and coatings company and currently employs around 6,700 people in China,
where revenue for 2010 totaled €1.3 billion. The majority of revenue is generated
from local demand. The company has 27
manufacturing locations in China.
PPG begins resin production in
China
PPG Industries began operations at a new
facility in the Zhangjiagang Yangtze International Chemical Industrial Park,
Jiangsu Province, which is its first resin
production plant in mainland China. With
initial production capacity of 27,000 metric tons per year, the plant will supply
resin products to PPG coatings plants and
other customers in the region.
Celanese Emulsion Polymers
doubles VAE capacity in China
The Emulsion Polymers business of
Celanese Corporation dedicated its expanded vinyl acetate/ethylene (VAE)
unit in Nanjing, China. The expansion,
which doubles the original capacity of
the VAE unit, came online in the second quarter. “This VAE unit expansion
is a reflection of Celanese’s commitment to the further development of
vinyl-based emulsion solutions spanning a broad range of end use applications including areas such as low
VOC and low odor paints with our
EcoVAE binder, specialty adhesives and
building and construction applica-tions," said Phillip McDivitt, general
manager Celanese Emulsion Polymers.
“Celanese has shown a strong commitment to China and Asia with its continued investments here in Nanjing and
Ice sculpture is filled by Celanese management to commemorate the new VAE
unit at Nanjing China. Pictured in photo:
Josh Cheng, president Celanese China;
Robert King, general manager, Celanese
Nanjing integrated complex; Phillip McDivitt, general manager, Emulsion Polymers
business; Kevin Wu, commercial director
Emulsion Polymers Asia.
“Start-up of the Zhangjiagang plant
marks another important milestone in
PPG’s history of doing business in China,”
said Charles Bunch, PPG chairman and
chief executive. “This resins plant will
across the region," said Josh Cheng,
president, Celanese China. "There are
now eight units here at the Celanese
Nanjing Chemical Complex and more are
planned at this facility, which is already
Celanese’s largest complex in the world."
Phillip McDivitt, general manager, Emulsion Polymers business, participated in a
traditional lion dance including dotting of
the eyes during the opening ceremony to
bring good luck and fortune to the new
facility and business according to traditional Chinese folklore.
In addition to its manufacturing investments, Celanese also opened the
Celanese Shanghai Commercial and
Technology Center (CSCT) earlier this
year. The CSCT houses hundreds of employees to service customers in China
and throughout Asia both on a business
and technical level.
A traditional lion dance including dotting of the eyes was performed during
the opening ceremony to bring good luck
and fortune to the new facility and business according to traditional Chinese
folklore. At the facility, Celanese makes
acetic acid from coal. The acid is then
converted into vinyl acetate monomer or
VAM, which is the main building block
for the VAE emulsions.
