|
MOSCOW (MRC) -- LANXESS is continuing
the systematic expansion of its production for synthetic iron oxide pigments.
The company is the only supplier worldwide to produce these pigments using the
Laux process, said the company.
Specialty chemicals company LANXESS has expanded its capacity for black
synthetic iron oxide pigments at its Krefeld-Uerdingen site by more than 5,000
metric tons per year. “The increased demand from the construction industry, in
particular for our unique black pigments to color concrete, can be even better
met with the debottlenecking measures that have now been completed,” says Holger
Huppeler, head of the Inorganic Pigments business unit at LANXESS. The company
is thus continuing the systematic expansion of its production capacities for
synthetic iron oxide pigments. LANXESS is the only supplier worldwide to produce
these pigments using the Laux process.
In architecture and landscaping,
the black coloration of concrete has been a trend for some time now. Concrete is
a creative material, which provides a multitude of possibilities to building
material producers, architects, and building contractors. With the use of
suitable pigments, this applies not only to the architectural design of
concrete, but especially to its coloration. “Thanks to their up to 15 percent
higher tinting strength and reliable color consistency, our Bayferrox 330 and
Bayferrox 340 black pigments are the preferred choice for coloring high-quality
cement-based building materials – for example not only in manufacturing concrete
paving stones and roof tiles, but also in architecture," explains
Huppeler.
In addition, these special iron oxides from LANXESS offer
further clear benefits. The pigments produced using the Laux process are the
only synthetic iron oxides that are specially certified by an independent
testing institute for safe use in ultra-high-strength concretes (UHPC). UHPC is
used in construction projects where, for example, high load capacities and very
lightweight, customized structures are required. And these high-quality pigments
are also impressive when it comes to their sustainability credentials. They are
certified for their high content of recycled raw materials by SCS Global
Services, one of the leading companies for audits and independent certifications
worldwide.
In Krefeld, LANXESS operates the world’s largest plant for
manufacturing synthetic iron oxide pigments. The global importance of this site
is confirmed every year by its extensive investment in capacity expansion and
process optimization, as well as the continuous expansion of environmentally
friendly production technologies.
Thanks to the unique Laux process, the
production facility at the Krefeld-Uerdingen site already has an excellent
carbon footprint. This is because this special chemical process uses the heat
generated during the reaction to create steam, which is in turn used in the
subsequent process steps.
"Our goal is to use targeted measures to
continuously reduce the CO2 footprint of our pigments. In the future the
energetic use of hydrogen, which is produced during the production process of
our pigments and can be used as a substitute for fossil fuels, will also play an
important role,” says Huppeler. Specialty chemicals group LANXESS has set itself
an ambitious climate protection target. By 2040, the group aims to become
climate-neutral and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions from the current level
of around 3.2 million metric tons of CO2. By 2030, LANXESS aims to cut its
emissions by 50 percent to around 1.6 million metric tons of CO2 compared with
today.
Lanxess, meanwhile, says it will pay a special bonus for the
“extraordinary commitment” of its employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. “In
particular, our colleagues at the plants played a crucial role in keeping our
business running during the crisis,” says Zachert. “With this bonus, we would
like to thank them and all the others who have made special contributions over
the past months.” The company will distribute a high-single-digit million euro
sum. The amount of the payment varies from employee to employee. In Germany, the
special bonus will be paid out in December, and different rules apply in other
countries, Lanxess says.
As per MRC, LANXESS' net profits in
the second quarter of 2020 were almost eight times higher than in the same
period of the previous year, to EUR798 million (USD943 million). This is
primarily due to the sale of its 40% stake in chemical park curator Currenta to
Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets in April, which resulted in a disposal
gain of EUR740 million. Sales declined 16.7% year on year, to EUR1.44 billion,
due to weak demand across many industries and lower raw material prices, the
company says. EBITDA and EBIT shrank by 23.8% and 57.3%, to EUR198 million and
EUR61 million, respectively.
We remind
that Russia's output of chemical products rose in September 2020 by 6.7%
year on year. At the same time, production of basic chemicals increased by 6.1%
year on year in the first nine months of 2020, according to Rosstat's data.
According to the Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation,
polymers in primary form accounted for the greatest increase in the
January-September output. Last month's production of primary polymers decreased
to 852,000 tonnes from 888,000 tonnes in August due to shutdowns in Tomsk, Ufa
and Kazan. Overall output of polymers in primary form totalled 7,480,000 tonnes
over the stated period, up by 16.4% year on year. |
