our environmental profile and operation-
al efficiency will also further improve.”
“The new joint venture will enable us to
supply our customers with our potassium
derivatives reliably in the long term,”
added Patrik Wohlhauser, member of
Evonik’s Executive Board. “At the same
time, it means we’re making a significant
contribution to the environmentally-
friendly and sustainable production of
potassium derivatives.”
All production of chlorine, potassium
hydroxide and caustic lye using mercury-
based amalgam electrolysis has to stop
by the end of 2017 due to legislative re-
quirements. The planned new membrane
electrolysis plant will use a sustainable
process which has a more positive envi-
ronmental profile.
AkzoNobel is the market leader for
industrial salt, merchant chlorine and
chloromethanes in Europe, as well as
holding a leading position for caustic lye
in Europe. Evonik is a European market
leader for potassium derivatives as well
as a globally leading provider of alcox-ides, which are manufactured in Lülsdorf,
also by electrolysis.
The joint venture is subject to approval
from the applicable regulatory authorities.
Argex Realigns its
Operations for Engineering
and Construction Phase
Argex Titanium Inc., a producer of high
grade titanium dioxide (TiO2), has completed work at its Valleyfield Technology
Center confirming key hydrometallurgical process innovations for the production of pigment grade TiO2. The Argex
hydrometallurgical process is based on
the development of a fully integrated process, including chloride leaching of the
feedstock, solvent extraction – separation and purification of iron and titanium
compounds, hydrochloric acid recovery,
iron chloride by-product recovery and the
conversion of titanium to market grade
TiO2. This work has also been supported
by Argex’s research services agreement
with PPG Industries as well as endorsed
by the positive technical due diligence announced last February.
Argex has put in place a technical team
and a project execution plan to minimize
technical risk, maximize commercial vi-
ability and provide the link for a proper
technology transfer from the process
technology to the design of a commercial
production facility. A six month Process
Intensification Program has been planned
by Argex to assure “commercial readi-
ness” of the hydrometallurgical process
technology. After three months into the
Process Intensification Program, Argex
plans to launch Front-End Engineering
Design (FEED/FEL3) work and the pur-
chase of long delivery process equip-
ment that will lead to plant design and
construction.
Dean Thibault, principal of Thibault
& Associates Inc. is a senior process
chemical engineer. He has over 35 years
of experience in the development of in-
dustrial process technologies and the
design of industrial production facili-
ties for metallurgical, hydrometallurgi-
cal and chemical industries. In addition
to the development of industrial process
chemistry, he has developed several pro-
cess technologies for international clients,
for the production of high purity metals
used for electronics, specialty inorganic
chemicals, heavy metal concentrates and
treatment of water, wastewater and solid
waste.
Tim McKeen is a lead process chemi-
cal engineer with Thibault & Associates
Inc. He has over 15 years of experience in
process development, assessment of pro-
cess technologies, economic assessment,
conceptual and detailed plant design and
plant commissioning services. McKeen’s
experience has allowed him to special-
ize in the metallurgical industry (for the
production of mineral concentrates by
crushing, grinding, material and slurry
transport, flotation, gravity separation
and heavy media separation) and hydro-
metallurgical industry (for the produc-
tion of high purity metals and inorganic
chemicals by leaching ores/concentrates,
solvent extraction, precipitation and
electro-winning).
Thibault & Associates Inc. have con-
ducted a detailed technical review of the
bench scale and pilot test work com-
pleted to date by Argex and have given a
favorable review of Argex’s technology’s
capacity to scale up.
Evonik Completes
Acquisition of
Monarch Catalyst
Evonik Industries has completed
its previously announced acquisition of
Monarch Catalyst Pvt. Ltd., of Dombivli,
India. Monarch Catalyst, which employs
approximately 300 staff, will be renamed
Evonik Catalysts India Pvt. Ltd, and its
existing customer base will continued to
be served through the established sales
channels. Financial details of the transac-
tion were not disclosed.
All of Evonik’s future catalyst activi-
ties in India will be operated through
the newly acquired company. Evonik’s
catalysts business line currently pro-
duces specialty catalysts, custom cata-
lysts, and catalysts components for the
life sciences and fine chemicals, indus-
trial and petrochemical, and polyolefins
market segments.
Adding Monarch’s global activities in
oils and fats hydrogenation catalysts will
broaden Evonik’s current catalysts port-
folio. In addition, the activated base met-
al catalysts and precious metal catalysts
portfolio will enhance Evonik’s positions
in India and the Asia region.
Evonik’s current catalysts production
network includes three sites in Germany,
one in the United States, one in Brazil,
one in Japan, and one in China, as well
as an additional tolling site for precious
metal catalysts in India.
Lubrizol Expands European
Formulations & Applications
Center of Excellence
The Lubrizol Corporation’s
Performance Coatings business announces an expansion at one of its
European Formulations & Applications
Centers of Excellence in Blackley, UK.
In addition to a formulations and applications technical team, the Blackley
facility also comprises research and development of hyperdispersants and is a
central location for all European and
emerging markets commercial activities.
The facility is dedicated to synthesizing, formulating and testing dispersant
technologies for diverse coatings and
explores unique solutions for resins,
binders and surface modification. CW
