Brazil cuts import duty on TiO2 from12% to 2%

Following lobbying by Abrafati (thepaint manufacturers’ tradeassociation), the BrazilianGovernment has reduced the importduty on TiO2 pigment from 12% to2%. The situation will be reviewedafter 12 months. At present, the onlydomestic TiO2 pigment plant in Brazilis a 60,000 tonnes/y sulfate routefacility operated by Cristal Global atArembepe (45 km up the coast fromSalvador, Bahia province). DuPonthas a small TiO2 pigment finishingfacility at Uberaba (475 km west ofBelo Horizonte, Minas Geraisprovince).

Original Source: ICIS Chemical Business, 13-19 Jan2014, 285 (2), (Website: http://www.icis.com), © Reed Business Information Limited 2014

White cars are the most popularworldwide, according to PPG

According to PPG’s annual review oftrends in colours for new passengercars, white was the most popularcolour worldwide in 2013, accountingfor 25% of new cars worldwide. Whitewas also the most popular colour inNorth America, accounting for 21% ofthe total, closely followed by black(19%), grey (17%) and silver (15%).Chromatic colours (notably reds,blues and greens) accounted for only28% of new cars in North America.Chromatic colours account for only14% of the new car market in SouthAmerica. Here, silver is the mostpopular colour, accounting for 33% ofthe total, followed by white (29%),black (13%) and grey (11%). Red wasthe most popular chromatic colour inSouth America, accounting for 8% ofthe total, while blue accounted foronly 2%.

Original Source: Paint & Coatings Industry (PCI), Dec2013, 29 (12), 8 (Website: http://www.pcimag.com),© BNP Media 2013

EU/Canada free trade agreement willeradicate 6.5% import duties

A new free trade agreement betweenthe EU and Canada, which should beratified in 2015, is expected to benefitthe paint industry on both sides of theAtlantic. At present, a 6.5% duty isimposed on imports of paints,varnishes, pigments, enamels and

lacquers. This will be eradicated onboth sides. In 2012, the EU exportedto Canada $15.4 M worth of solvent-based paints and $5.6 M worth ofwater-based paints. The EU alsoexported $6 M worth of pigments(including metallic powders andflakes). Exports from Canada to theEU included: $4.6 M worth of water-based paints, $1.5 M worth of solvent-based paints and $2.4 M worth ofpigments.

Original Source: PPCJ, Polymers, Paint, ColourJournal, Dec 2013, 203 (4591), (Website:http://www.polymerspaintcolourjournal.com), © dmg events 2013

PLANTSBelarus & Russia: Omsk Techuglerod –carbon black

Omsk Techuglerod is poised tocommence construction work on alarge new carbon black plant in theMogilev region (220 km east of Minsk,capital of Belarus). When this projectwas first announced, the initialcapacity was going to be 80,000tonnes/y. (See ‘Focus on Pigments’,Feb 2013, 3 & Apr 2013, 6). However,the most recent reports indicate thatcapacity will be 120,000 tonnes/y,when the plant is fully operational in2017. Belshina, the largest tyremanufacturer in Belarus, will be amajor customer and smaller domesticcustomers should account for afurther 4000-5000 tonnes/y, leaving asubstantial exportable surplus. Capitalinvestment budgeted for this project isof the order of Roubles 4.5 bn(equivalent to $126 M).

Meanwhile, at its long-establishedcarbon black plant in Volgograd insouthwestern Russia, Omsk TG isinvesting Roubles 575 M (equivalentto $16.5 M) to double capacity.Carbon black output should increasefrom 131,000 tonnes in 2014 to240,000 tonnes in 2018. Thecompany’s sales revenue is projectedto increase from Roubles 3.9 bn in2013 to Roubles 4.5 bn (equivalent to$129 M) in 2014.

Original Source: Chemie Aktuell, 17 Jan 2014,(Website: http://www.maerkte-weltweit.de) (inGerman), © MBM Martin Brueckner Medien GmbH2014. Original Source: RCCnews, 8 Apr 2014,(Website: http://www.rccnews.ru/Eng), © RCCnews.ru2014

China & India: PolyOne – plasticsmasterbatch

PolyOne Corp, one of the world’sleading suppliers of plasticsmasterbatches and compounds, plansto establish an “innovation centre” inShanghai, with the objectives offacilitating technical collaboration,accelerating application developmentand increasing speed-to-market forcustomers in the Asia/Pacific region.The facility will be built on a site withinthe hi-tech industrial park in theJinqiao Development Zone and it isscheduled to open in 4Q 2014. Thefocus will be on research anddevelopment projects generatedwithin PolyOne’s SpecialtyEngineered Materials businesssegment.

PolyOne reported global salesrevenue at $3.771 bn for full-year2013, with Asia/Pacific accounting foran increasingly important slice of thetotal. As well as the new researchfacility in China, PolyOne recentlyopened a new production complex inIndia. (See also ‘Focus on Pigments’,Dec 2013, 6).

Announcing the news of theShanghai facility, Mr RobertPatterson, who took over asPolyOne’s Chief Executive in mid-May2014, commented: “Our ‘invest togrow’ strategy in the region is clearlyworking, and our new innovationcentre will be yet another step in whatwe expect will be continued growth forour customers and PolyOne.”

Original Source: PolyOne Corp, Avon Lake, OH 44012,USA, Website: http://www.polyone.com (11 Mar & 21Apr 2014), © PolyOne 2014

China: DyStar – textile colorants

DyStar (now based in Singapore andpart of the Zhejiang Longshenggroup) plans to establish a newtechnical centre on the campus ofDonghua University in Shanghaiprovince. The key objective is toimprove the company’s researchcapability and to assist with thedevelopment of application standardsin the Chinese textile industry. Lastyear, DyStar doubled its syntheticindigo capacity at Nanjing (Jiangsuprovince) to 24,000 tonnes/y. (See‘Focus on Pigments’, Jul 2013, 5).

Original Source: Chemical and Engineering News, 6Jan 2014, 92 (1), 12 (Website: http://www.cen-online.org), © American Chemical Society 2014

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