Coatings World - April 2016

coatings. It is PPG’s second e-coat blending operation in China along with one in Tianjin. The new operation will help PPG meet growing demand by automotive-manufacturing and industrial customers for environmentally friendly coatings, such as waterborne e-coat products that comply with environmental regulations in China. Nearly

100 guests attended the opening ceremony, including local government officials, customer representatives, PPG executives and employees of the Zhangjiagang plant.

“China is the world’s second-largest economy and continues
to be among PPG’s most important strategic markets global-
ly,” said John Richter, PPG vice president of operations, coat-
ings, Asia Pacific. “We remain committed to meeting customer
demand in China through ongoing investment. As a key pro-
duction base for PPG, our Zhangjiagang site has capacity for
expansion, reflecting our confidence in China’s sustainable eco-
nomic growth.”
PPG was the first company to introduce electrocoat technol-
ogy commercially in an automotive OEM (original equipment
manufacturer) assembly plant 52 years ago. E-coat technology
offers high coating uniformity and efficiency as well as superior
corrosion protection, and it has virtually eliminated rust on ve-
hicles in addition to providing corrosion resistance to household
appliances, computers and other electronic devices, and auto-
motive and mechanical parts.

The Zhangjiagang site started production in 2011 as PPG’s first resin plant in China, supplying both PPG coatings businesses and customers in the Asia Pacific region.

AkzoNobel Acquires Full Control of
Hydrogen Peroxide Joint Venture

AkzoNobel has strengthened its position in the North American hydrogen peroxide market after acquiring the outstanding shares in EkO Peroxide LLC from joint venture partner OCI Peroxygens LLC (a subsidiary of OCI Enterprises Inc.).

Established nine years ago and headquartered at AkzoNobel’s site in Columbus, Mississippi, the joint venture owned and controlled the 70,000 short tons per annum (nameplate capacity) hydrogen peroxide manufacturing facility.

Hydrogen peroxide is a key component of AkzoNobel’s bleaching chemicals product portfolio and is marketed by the company’s Pulp and Performance Chemicals business. It has essential applications in various markets, notably pulp bleaching, chemical processing and mining.

“This deal supports the strategic growth objectives for our
bleaching chemicals activities. The hydrogen peroxide market
in North America has improved significantly in recent years,
with AkzoNobel well placed to grow the business,” said Werner
Fuhrmann, AkzoNobel’s Executive Committee member respon-
sible for Specialty Chemicals. “It will also enable us to strength-
en our integrated platform for the production of hydrogen
peroxide and sodium chlorate at the Columbus site.”
Financial details of this transaction are not disclosed.

AkzoNobel, Evonik Break Ground for
Production Joint Venture in Germany

AkzoNobel and Evonik Industries have broken ground at the site of their production joint venture for chlorine and potassium hydroxide solution at Ibbenbüren in Germany. AkzoNobel will use the new plant to produce chlorine and hydrogen, which are essential ingredients for the chemical industry and people’s daily lives.

The ceremony was staged at AkzoNobel’s existing facility in Ibbenbüren, where the two companies will build and operate a new membrane electrolysis plant, which is due to come on stream by the fourth quarter of 2017.

Werner Fuhrmann, member of AkzoNobel’s Executive Committee responsible for Specialty Chemicals, and Ralph Sven Kaufmann, Member of the Board of Evonik Industries AG, conducted the official proceedings at the event, which was attended by customers, suppliers and employees of both companies, as well as representatives of the city of Ibbenbüren and relevant authorities.

“The state-of-the-art plant we are building will set a new benchmark for the production of chlorine and potassium hydroxide solution,” said Fuhrmann. “It will improve the ecological footprint of every ton of chlorine we produce in Ibbenbüren by 25 to 30 percent. This will result in less energy use and fewer CO2 emissions, while there will also be clear benefits for the local chemical cluster.”