KRONOS: Vigorous Action to Cut Costs

摘要

In order to meet the challenge of weaker pigment prices onwards from mid-2012, Kronos has taken vigorous action to reduce its unit costs. Unlike most of its multinational rivals, Kronos has not shut down or idled any pigment capacity. In fact, the company's global pigment capacity has actually increased slightly - as a result of debottlenecking measures - from 550,000 t.p.a. at end-2011 to the current level of 555,000 t.p.a. as from end-2013. Moreover, it has maintained high operating rates at all of its plants - 92% in 2014, 95% in 2015 and 94.4% in H1 2016. The average operating rate of 86% for full-year 2013 was also quite impressive, given that the Varennes (Canada) site was operating at only about 15% capacity utilisation for half the year, due to a prolonged labour dispute.