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Additives for Polymers (v.2008, #5)
ColorMatrix develops novel oxygen scavenger for PET, debuts colour-matching system (pp. 1-1).
ColorMatrix has developed new oxygen-scavenging technology for PET packaging. HyGuard™ is designed to complement the company's existing Amosorb scavenger products [ADPO, September 2003], providing additional performance and recycling advantages, the company claims.
Nyco launches new ultrafine wollastonite grades (pp. 2-2).
New York-based wollastonite specialist Nyco has introduced two new products – Nyglos® 1000 and Nyglos MD1000. The company says that these ultrafine non-directional wollastonite grades are available uncoated and chemically modified and are designed to replace expensive chemically modified calcined clay or other platy type minerals in glass/mineral compounded engineering plastics, alloys and blends.
New high-performance additive technology available from Techmer (pp. 2-3).
Following trials with a select group of customers over the past two years, masterbatch specialist Techmer PM is now making a new technology available as an option with all its polyolefin-based colour concentrates and additives. Dubbed HPS (for high-performance systems), the ‘breakthrough’ technology provides an adjustable recipe for a family of compounds that can reduce cooling times whilst simultaneously controlling warping and shrinkage in injection-moulded polyolefin parts, the company says.
PolyOne introduces pest-repellent additive concentrates (pp. 3-3).
Ohio-based PolyOne Corp has developed new termite and rodent repellent products as part of its OnCap™ range of additive concentrates. Designed in particular to protect cables from attack by these pests, the products were launched at the Wire 2008 show held from 31 March to 4 April in Düsseldorf.
Evonik unveils new generation of fumed silicas (pp. 3-3).
Essen-based speciality chemical group Evonik is extending its range of Aerosil® fumed silicas with the addition of two new grades: Aerosil 200 SP and Aerosil 300 SP. Existing Aerosil products serve as reinforcing fillers in silicone rubber applications, improving mechanical properties such as tensile strength and tear resistance as well as ensuring that the rubber has good transparency. To further expand the range of speciality applications, the new SP grades offer even greater transparency in the end products compared to existing grades, Evonik says.
Ciba launches new 3D colour visualization software (pp. 4-4).
Ciba has developed a new colour visualization tool to assist colour producers in the packaging, electronics, consumer goods, cosmetics and automotive markets. Ciba® ColorViz Color Presenter software allows visualization of the final appearance of a colour on a finished product, aiding colour communication between designers and colour producers, the company says.
Albemarle to expand polymer antioxidant production at Shanghai jv (pp. 4-5).
Major global antioxidant supplier Albemarle Corp, headquartered in Richmond, VA, USA, plans to more than double the antioxidant production capacity of Shanghai Jinhai Albemarle Fine Chemicals Co, Ltd. The Shanghai operation is part of the so-called Jinhai Albemarle manufacturing joint venture in which Albemarle gained a majority ownership stake last year [ADPO, September 2007].
Holliday Pigments triples pink plant capacity, enhances customer service (pp. 5-6).
Ultramarine specialist Holliday Pigments has ramped up production of ultramarine pink, tripling the capacity at its Comines plant in France.
Clariant, Zhejiang Baihe invest in new Chinese organic pigment plant (pp. 5-5).
Partners Clariant International Ltd and Zhejiang Baihe Chemical Holding Group are to expand their Hangzhou Baihe Clariant Pigments joint venture by investing in a world-scale plant for the production of quinacridone speciality organic pigments. The new plant will be built at the existing joint venture facility located in Hang Zhou City, southwest of Shanghai in China's Zhejiang Province.
BASF, Sinopec report progress in Nanjing expansion plans (pp. 6-7).
BASF and China Petroleum & Chemical Corp (Sinopec) have completed the technical and commercial feasibility study concerning the planned US$900 million expansion of their joint chemical Verbund site in Nanjing, China. The study has now been submitted to the Chinese government for approval. The Nanjing site is operated by the 50:50 joint venture BASF-YPC Co Ltd (BYC), formed by BASF and Sinopec in 2000.
Songwon signs supply deal with Nitto Kasei, expands distributor network (pp. 7-7).
South Korean firm Songwon Industrial Co Ltd has signed a long-term agreement with Osaka-based Nitto Kasei for the supply of organotin intermediates in Japan.
Flame retardants, stabilizers and other additives subject to further price rises (pp. 7-8).
From 1 April 2008, Chemtura Corp (www.chemtura.com) has raised the price of many of its brominated flame retardants to recoup advocacy, energy and raw materials costs. Increases range from US$0.20/kg for DE-83R (decabromodiphenyloxide) and PHT-4 (tetrabromophthalic anhydride) up to $0.40/kg for FireMaster® 2100 (decabromodiphenylethene). Other products affected include BA-59P (tetrabromobisphenol A; $0.30/kg) and PH-73FF (tribromophenol; $0.25/kg). These and all other listed price changes are subject to existing contracts.
Record sales fail to prevent loss for Ferro in 2007 (pp. 8-9).
Cleveland-based Ferro Corp reported that sales for the year ended 31 December 2007 were a record US$2.2 billion, up 8% from 2006. Despite this, the company posted a net loss of $94.5 million for 2007, compared with a net income of $20.6 million the previous year.
Lanxess reports ‘positive earnings performance’ for 2007 (pp. 9-10).
German speciality chemicals company Lanxess AG reported significantly improved earnings before special items in 2007. EBITDA pre-exceptionals rose by 6.5% to €719 million, up from €675 million in 2006, close to the top end of its earnings guidance range. The EBITDA margin pre-exceptionals moved ahead to 10.9%, compared to 9.7% in 2006. ‘This positive earnings performance shows that Lanxess has definitively achieved the turnaround. Last year we came even closer to the profitability level of our competitors,’ says Lanxess chairman Axel C. Heitmann.
Chemtura's 4Q 2007 sales rise 10%, but earnings ‘flat’ (pp. 9-9).
Connecticut-based additives major Chemtura Corp reported net sales of US$891 million for the fourth quarter of 2007, up 10% on $809 million for the same period in 2006. The increase in revenue was attributable to acquisitions, positive foreign exchange and higher selling prices, partially offset by a negative impact from product mix.
ColorMatrix develops dosing cart for hazardous liquids, opens Chinese facility (pp. 10-11).
Ohio-based ColorMatrix, which specializes in liquid additive and colorant technologies, has launched a full dosing management system for liquids with properties that make handling difficult. These include liquids that are corrosive or toxic and those that are unpleasant to handle, such as strong pigments and additives. The Metrix™ system provides a mobile cart solution, suitable for dosing applications in the plastics, food, chemical and pharmaceutical industries.
TBBPA flame retardant wins EU approval (pp. 11-11).
Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), the largest-volume brominated flame retardant in use today, has been approved by the European Union (EU) as safe for human health and the environment. The approval follows an eight-year EU risk assessment to evaluate the effects of the chemical.