sold for specific applications under thebrandnames Altifill, Altiplus, Altibrightand Altiblock.

As the basis for Altiblock,pyrophyllite is described as consistingof a natural blend of talc-like platyparticles and irregular, blocky particleshapes to provide optimal blocking,clarity, film strength, barrier resistanceand improved thermal efficiency of thefilm. It also has the advantages ofvery low iron content (<0.2% Fe2O3)and low abrasivity and hardness.

Original Source: Trinity Resources Ltd, 250 MineralsRoad, Conception Bay South, NL A1W 5A2, Canada,tel: +1 (709) 834 2186, website:http://www.trinityresources.ca (18 Feb & 1 May 2014)© Trinity Resources 2014

China, India & Malaysia: Schulman –masterbatch

A Schulman Inc (headquartered inAkron, OH) is determined to expandits prominence in Asia. At present,this region accounts for just over $200M or 10% of Schulman’s total salesrevenue. The target is to double thisto 20% within five years. At its Johoreplant in Malaysia, Schulman recentlyadded three new lines capable ofproducing 5000 tonnes/y of colourconcentrates. Schulman is currentlyworking on a project to double thesize of its Dongguan plant inGuangdong province, China from25,000 tonnes/y to 50,000 tonnes/y. Asecond line should be added at itsVadodara (India) plant later this year.

Original Source: Plastics News, 13 May 2014,(Website: http://www.plasticsnews.com) © CrainCommunications Inc 2014

China: Jiangxi Black Cat – carbonblack

Jiangxi Black Cat Carbon Black CoLtd opened its eighth carbon blackplant in mid-March 2014. The plant islocated at Jining in the southwesterncorner of Shandong province, 420 kmsouthwest of Qingdao. In its initialconfiguration, the plant has two lineseach producing 40,000 tonnes/y offurnace black. By the end of this year,another three lines will be installed,two producing furnace blacks, thethird producing semi-active grades.Total capacity at Jining will then be200,000 tonnes/y, bringing JiangxiBlack Cat’s total to 1.09 M tonnes/yand consolidating the company’sposition among the world’s top five

suppliers. Two waste heat boilers arealso going to be installed as part ofthe overall project, for which the totalbudgeted capital investment was Rmb89.964 M (equivalent to $14.4 M).

Lehmann & Voss (headquarteredin Hamburg) is the company’sexclusive sales agent for Germany,Switzerland and France and it sellsJiangxi Black Cat’s products underthe Luvomaxx brandname.

Original Source: European Rubber Journal, 20 Mar2014, (Website: http://www.european-rubber-journal.com) © Crain Communications Ltd 2014

China: Tosaf/Colloids – masterbatch

Colloids Ltd (part of the Tosaf group,headquartered in Kfar Yona, Israel) isbuilding a new plastics masterbatchplant at Changshu (50 km northeastof Suzhou city-centre in Jiangsuprovince). The plant will have a floorarea of 0.37 hectares and an initialcapacity of 3500 tonnes/y.

Investment in the project has beenbudgeted at $6 M and the plant is dueto come on-stream in 3Q 2014.Output from the Changshu plant willbe supplied to domestic and exportcustomers.

Colloids Ltd has two plants in theUK – one at Knowsley (13 kmnortheast of Liverpool) and one atRushden (25 km northeast ofNorthampton) – producing white,black, coloured and additivemasterbatches. Colloids employs 130people and generates annual salesrevenue of around $55 M. The Tosafgroup as a whole has 10 masterbatchplants, employing 800 people aroundthe world.

Original Source: Plastics News, 18 Apr 2014,(Website: http://www.plasticsnews.com) © CrainCommunications Inc 2014

Germany: Helawit – powdered fillers

Herbert Lange Wittenborn GmbH(Helawit) is planning a modestexpansion at its plant in Wittenborn(65 km north of Hamburg). Thecompany produces a range ofpowdered fillers, based on quartz,silica sand and other minerals. Thecompany’s Heladol filler – derivedfrom a particularly white dolomite(calcium magnesium carbonate) – ismarketed throughout Europe for avariety of applications.

As part of a management buy-outexercise completed last year, Helawitwas restructured and Ms Anneli vonPietrowski was appointed as the newManaging Director. In an interview for‘Farbe und Lack’, she explained thatHelawit aims to position itself in theupper-price and quality tier offunctional filler suppliers, offeringpaintmakers “ready-mixed, ready-to-use, black-box filler blends.” Atpresent, the company derives 75% ofits sales revenue from sales toGerman customers, while Turkey,Switzerland, Austria, the UnitedStates and the Netherlands areHelawit’s most important exportmarkets. In the medium-term, exportgrowth will help to drive a 15%increase in total sales revenue.

Original Source: Farbe und Lack (Online Version), 13 Dec 2013 & 11 Mar 2014, (Website:http://www.farbeundlack.de/) (in German) © VincentzNetwork 2014. Original Source: Herbert LangeWittenborn GmbH, Industriestrasse 12, D-23829Wittenborn, Germany, website: http://www.helawit.de(16 Jun 2014) © Helawit 2014

India: Plastiblends – masterbatch

Plastiblends India (headquartered inMumbai) has established itself as oneof the country’s largest producers ofplastic masterbatches andcompounds, with a total capacity inexcess of 75,000 tonnes/y. Thecompany has two plants – one atDaman and one at Roorkee,Uttarakhand (Northern India). As wellas supplying the domestic market,Plastiblends India exports to 40different countries in Europe, Asia,Africa and South America.

Original Source: Compounding World, Apr 2014, 72(Website: http://www.amiplastics.com/mags) © Applied Market Information Ltd 2014

Poland: Clariant – masterbatch

Clariant has opened a new plasticsmasterbatch plant at KonstantynowLodzki (on the western outskirts ofLodz). Construction work began herein mid-March 2013 and Zloty 38 M(roughly $12.5 M) was invested in theproject. (See also ‘Focus onPigments’, Apr 2013, 7).

The new plant has a capacity of4000 tonnes/y and, now that it is upand running, Clariant will shut downits small masterbatch plant at Zgierz

4 JULY 2014

F O C U S O N P I G M E N T S