CHINA: Kuncai Aims to Make 400,000 t.p.a. Of Iron Oxides & 500,000 t.p.a. of TiO2

摘要

On 21 August 2019, the company held a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the beginning of construction of a new factory complex, located within the Fuzhou Jiangyin Industrial Park (about 100 km south of the city-centre of Fuzhou, the capital of Fujian province in southeastern China). The ultimate objective is to establish facilities for making up to 400,000 t.p.a. iron oxide pigments and 500,000 t.p.a. of TiO2 pigments. Production at these levels would represent nearly 30% of current global demand for iron oxide pigments and about 8% of current global TiO2 pigment demand. Not surprisingly, given Kuncai's well-established reputation in the pearlescent pigments sector and recognising that its entry into two new pigment sectors will have a significant impact, the company will adopt a reasonably cautious marketing approach. Parameters, such as the product specifications, the initial target markets (end-use industries and geographic regions) and the schedule for ramping up production levels, have still to be determined.