TiO2 demand for cosmetics not so threatened by economic recession
- Publisher
- Elsevier Science
- Year
- 2009
- Weight
- 70 KB
- Volume
- 2009
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0969-6210
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✦ Synopsis
On 20 July, price increases posted by Tronox exactly replicated those announced on 15 July by Huntsman, in respect of both North America and Europe. On 21 July, Cristal posted increases of €100 per tonne for the EU and of $150 per tonne for Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
DuPont was the traditional priceleader in North America and it is still by far the most important supplier, with a regional market share in excess of 40%. However, for the latest wave of price increases, it lagged behind the other major suppliers in announcing price increases. On 22 July, DuPont notified customers that it too would be raising its prices by $0.05 per pound, instead of $0.02 per pound, with effect from 1 August. On 27 July, DuPont notified customers in Europe and North Africa that it would be increasing prices by €100 per tonne, with effect from 1 August. DuPont has a number of customers located in European markets that are outside the Eurozone (including the UK, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland). Most customers in these markets settle their accounts in Euros, but if they prefer to settle in local currencies, the price increase applicable will be calculated on the basis of the exchange rate prevailing as at 1 August 2009.
Sachtleben (a 61:39 joint venture between Rockwood of the US and Kemira of Finland) -the world's sixth largest TiO 2 pigment supplier -seems to have been even more reluctant to join the price-hiking bandwaggon. On 4 August, it posted: a €100 per tonne increase for all TiO 2 pigment deliveries to Europe, the Middle East and Africa; a $150 per tonne increase for all deliveries to Latin America and the Asia/Pacific regions: a $0.07 per pound ($154 per tonne) increase for all deliveries to the US and a C$0.07 per pound ($143 per tonne) increase for all deliveries to Canada. Sachtleben's price increases are scheduled for implementation as from 1 September 2009.