FOCUS ON
fuel faster growth. Another global
market driver is the push towards
more environmentally responsible
products. Within the EU, legislation
already bans the use of colorants
containing volatile organic compounds
(VOCs) for the decorative paint sector.
Market pressure in other countries will
ensure that this kind of legislation
spreads further over the next few
years, presaging a need for
customers to upgrade and develop
their tinting systems.
Press Release from: CPS Color Group Oy,
Vernissakatu 1, PO Box 42, FI-01301 Vantaa, Finland.
Tel: +358 20 7188000. Website:
http://www.cpscolor.com (28 Mar 2011)
New owners rename ex-Evonik carbon
black business: Orion
On 29 July, Evonik Industries
completed the sale of its carbon black
business to Rhone Capital and Triton
Partners (two private investment
companies). This followed the ruling by
the European Commission 10 days
earlier that the anticipated effects of the
acquisition would not be incompatible
with anti-trust regulations.
The business was acquired as an
intact entity, which has now been
renamed Orion Engineered Carbons.
It has 1650 employees, about 500 of
whom are based in Germany. Sales
revenues were €1.2 bn in the 2010
fiscal year. The value of the
transaction, including the assumption
of debts and other obligations, was
more than €900 M.
Press Release from: Evonik Industries AG,
Rellinghauser Strasse 1-11 45128, Essen, Germany.
Website: http://www.evonik.com (1 Aug 2011)
Imerys completes $340 M acquisition
of Luzenac talc business
On 1 August, Imerys and Rio Tinto
jointly announced the completion of
the sale of the Luzenac worldwide talc
business to Imerys for $340 M cash.
The talc business will be fully
integrated into the Performance &
Filtration Minerals business group of
Imerys. According to Imerys, the
acquisition is expected to “create
value by achieving a return on capital
employed above the group’s weighted
average cost of capital from 2013
onwards.”
SEPTEMBER 2011
PIGMENTS
The Luzenac business currently
employs about 1000 people in
Europe, North America, Australia and
Asia. It operates 24 mines and
processing plants, producing around 1
M tonnes/y, giving it a global market
share of around 15%. For Rio Tinto,
this divestment marks another chapter
in its programme of selling non-core
assets, launched towards the end of
2007 in the aftermath of its $38 bn
acquisition of Alcan. Over the past 40
months, Rio Tinto has completed
more than 20 divestments, generating
gross sales proceeds of more than
$11 bn.
Press Releases from: Imerys, 154/156 Rue de
l’Université, F-75007 Paris, France. Tel: +33 1 495563.
Website: http://www.imerys.com & Rio Tinto plc, 2
Eastbourne Terrace, London W2 6LG, UK. Tel: +44 20
7781 2000. Website: http://www.riotinto.com (1 Aug
2011)
Plastics Color Corp buys Polysource
Plastics Color Corp (PCC, of Calumet
City, IL) has acquired Polysource LLC
and its Pinnacle Color subsidiary
(based in Tempe, AZ). This further
consolidates PCC’s position in the US
masterbatch and liquid colorants
market.
Original Source: Plastics News, 3 Aug 2011, (Website:
http://www.plasticsnews.com)
© Crain Communications Inc 2011
Royce buys Patrick’s vat dyes business
Passaic Color & Chemical (of East
Rutherford, NJ), part of the Royce
Associates group, has acquired the
vat dyes business of CH Patrick & Co
(of Greenville, SC) for an undisclosed
sum. Prior to this acquisition, Royce
had five plants in the US, several
warehouses in various parts of the
US, Europe and Asia, as well as a
technical support centre in China.
Original Source: Chemistry and Industry (London), 11
Jul 2011, (13) (Website: http://www.chemind.org)
© SCI 2011
LEGISLATION
EU bans usage of cadmium pigments in
all plastics except recycled PVC
The European Commission has
announced a total prohibition on the
usage of cadmium in plastic products
manufactured or sold in the EU,
effective as from 1 December 2011.
The usage of cadmium in jewellery
and in brazing sticks has also been
banned, effective 1 December 2011.
The ban will be adopted as an
amendment under Europe’s REACH
regulations for the regulation,
evaluation, authorisation and
restriction of chemicals.
Cadmium has been classified as a
Class B1 carcinogen (probable
human carcinogen). It is also deemed
“toxic for the aquatic environment.” In
the past, cadmium sulfide and
cadmium selenosulfide were both
used as pigments for plastics in the
red, orange and yellow segment.
Cadmium was also used as a
stabiliser in some plastic compounds.
The consumption of cadmium
compounds in several polymer
systems was prohibited in the EU in
1992, though cadmium compounds
were still allowed in limited dosages in
rigid polyvinyl chloride (PVC) products
because of the lack of suitable
economic alternatives at that time.
More recently, the European PVC
industry has taken steps to phase out
the use of cadmium in rigid PVC as
part of its Vinyl 2010 environmental
programme.
The new legislation prohibits the
usage of cadmium in all plastic
products, but it will still encourage
the recovery and recycling of PVC
waste. As PVC is a valuable material
that can be recovered a number of
times, the new legislation allows the
re-use of recovered PVC containing
low levels of cadmium in a limited
number of construction products,
without danger for the public or
environment. In order to fully inform
buyers, construction products made
of this recovered PVC will be
marketed with a specific logo.
European Commissioner for the
Environment Mr Janez Potocnik said:
“The ban on cadmium in jewellery will
protect consumers, in particular
children. It is equally good for the
environment, as cadmium-free
plastics will help to reduce pollution.
The measure encourages the
recycling of PVC waste, which
represents significant progress in the
efforts to save resources.”
Press release from: Europa (Gateway to the European
Union) Website: http://europa.eu/ (20 May 2011)
7