MELBOURNE 2015: Staying Flexible as as to Gater for Rapid Changes

摘要

Dr Hugo said: "The evolution of the Chinese TiO2 pigment industry will be a big factor in determining the world's future demand for chlorinatable feedstock. Hitherto, virtually all of China's pigment production has been based on sulfate-route plants, with relatively low-grade indigenous ilmenite (containing 47-48% TiO2) as the main feedstock. For several years, the Chinese Government has been running a campaign exhorting local companies to invest in building new chloride-route pigment plants and calling for the closure of small sulfate-route plants. The results of this campaign are beginning to show. Four new chloride-route TiO2 plants recently came on-stream in China, with a combined capacity of 250,000 t.p.a. Many similar plants are expected to come on-stream over the next five years or so, adding a further 1.4 million t.p.a., of which: 540,000 t.p.a. in the coastal provinces (Jiangsu and Shandong); 450,000 t.p.a. in the central provinces (Henan, Hubei and Hunan); and 400,000 t.p.a. in the inland provinces (Chongqing and Sichuan). This means that there should be an upsurge in China's demand for chlorinatable feedstocks, which can only be satisfied by imports. Iluka intends to capture a big slice of this demand increment. Later this year, the company will open a new technical centre just outside Shanghai and one of its main offerings will be advice to existing and aspiring pigment producers on the use of chlorinatable feedstocks."