Coatings World - April 2015

Evonik Expands Silicone Platform
in Germany and China

Evonik plans to strengthen its technology platform for specialty silicones with a global investment initiative. Overall, Evonik plans to invest a triple-digit-mil-lion-euro amount in the coming years and gradually increase the production volume of specialty silicones.

In Essen, the company is currently
putting the expansion of a plant for
the production of these special products
into operation. The investment for this
expansion is in the double-digit-million-
euro range. Increasing the production
in Germany Evonik accompanied the
growth of its customers in the important
European market. Within the global in-
vestment initiative for specialty silicones
additional production expansions in
Essen are planned.
The market for specialty silicones
continued to grow in recent years. This
development is mainly driven by the con-
struction, textile, coating, furniture and ap-
pliance industries. Particularly strong was
the demand in Asia. Evonik responded to
this positive development by expanding its
site in Shanghai (China) with a new pro-
duction complex for specialty silicones.
Specialty silicones offer an enormous
wide range of applications for numerous
industries, Evonik says. For example, as
additives for plastics, specialty silicones
are responsible for comfortable furniture,
car seats and ergonomic mattresses. They
also play an important role within the for-
mulation of ideal insulation material for
building insulation and guarantee of the
highest energy efficiency of refrigerators.
Other areas of application are defoam-
ing agents, used in industries like con-
struction, textile or plastics. Furthermore,
specialty silicones are used in coatings
and inks. The integrated silicone technol-
ogy platform forms the backbone of sig-
nificant businesses of the Evonik segments
Nutrition & Care (Business Lines Comfort
& Insulation, Interface & Performance,
Personal Care) and Resource Efficiency
(Business Line Coating Additives).

Wacker Celebrates 60 Years
of Elastosil

One of the best-known and most successful brands of Munich-based chemicals group Wacker has turned 60: on March 4, 1955, the company sought trademark protection from the German Patent Office for the name Elastosil. Since then the number of different products bearing the registered trademark has grown to nearly 3,000. Elastosil silicones are used in virtually all branches of industry, from automotive to aerospace. Wacker is celebrating this milestone with a website ( www.wacker.com/elastosil60) dedicated to telling the brand’s success story.

Employees are marking the 60th birthday of Elastosil on the group web-site www.wacker.com with a series of reports about the varied application areas, trends and innovations surrounding this silicone brand. The series opens with a welcoming address by Peter Summo, head of the Engineering Silicones business unit. “A trademark application was filed for Elastosil on March 4, 1955. Since then, this extraordinary technology has repeatedly provided the basis for high-performance, economical and sustainable products.”

Argex Signs LOI for
100 Percent of its Iron
By-Products with PVS
Chemicals

Argex Titanium Inc., a producer of high-grade titanium dioxide (TiO2) used as white pigment in paint, plastic, paper, cosmetics and other applications, has signed a letter of intent (LOI) with PVS Chemicals a global manufacturer, distributor and marketer of chemicals, and PVS’s wholly owned subsidiary, Fanchem Ltd., to distribute 100 percent of Argex’s iron by-products to be produced at Argex’s first industrial scale TiO2 plant to be located in Valleyfield, Quebec.

This LOI will act as a guideline for
the negotiation of a definitive off-take
and distribution agreement between
Argex and PVS, which shall be negoti-
ated over the next several months on an
exclusive basis.

“PVS looks forward to negotiating a definitive agreement with Argex and growing this valuable strategic business partnership in the years to come,” stated Jeff Inkes, vice president and general manager of Fanchem Ltd.

“A significant portion of Argex’s cost advantage comes from the sale of our iron byproducts,” stated Roy Bonnell, president and CEO of Argex Titanium. “Recent test results for Argex’s iron products indicate that they surpass the current technical requirements of the industry. We are pleased to work with PVS, a proven market leader as we grow our business.”

AGC Chemicals Americas
Introduces Three Fluon
ETFE compounds

AGC Chemicals Americas Inc. has introduced three Fluon ETFE compounds that are reinforced with proprietary conductive, strengthening and reinforcing fillers to better tolerate extreme tem-peratures, pressures, harsh chemicals and volatile weather conditions.

Fluon ETFE is a melt processable copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and ethylene and is ideal for a wide variety of applications, including wire and cable coatings; semiconductor and electronic components; valves, fittings and pump housings; and tubing and pipe.

To optimize chemical resistance, Fluon ETFE is reinforced with compatible fibers that allow cables to withstand higher environmental temperatures and severe chemical conditions. The fiber reinforcement enables cables processed with the compound to deliver superi-or performance in continuous insertion/ extraction operations.