OCTOBER 2006 7

F O C U S O N P O W D E R C O A T I N G S

materials in developing countriesin the fields of energy, cleanwater, food, and health care.Emerging markets make up 80%of the global population, butaccount for just 20% of Rohmand Haas’s sales of $8 bn/y.R&H wants this to rise to 35% by2010. The three core businessgroups will be electronicmaterials, specialty materials, andperformance materials. The saltbusiness (sales: $925 M) will stillbe run as a stand-aloneoperation. The non-profitablepowder coatings business willalso be managed on a stand-alone basis and will be madeprofitable or divested.

Chemical and Engineering News, 16 Oct2006, 84 (42), 8 (Website: http://www.cen-online.org)

New US powder coatingsheadquarters: Akzo Nobel

Akzo Nobel Powder Coatings isto establish its new NorthAmerican headquarters inNashville, TN, where thebusiness already operates amanufacturing facility. Theexisting site, which employsaround 125 people, will beexpanded to include offices forgeneral management, finance,customer service and purchasingpersonnel. Construction of a newstate-of-the-art research anddevelopment facility, which willalso be based at the site, hasalready started. Akzo Nobel is theworlds largest coatings companyand its investment in Nashvilledemonstrates continuedcontribution to the US economyin R&D and job creation. Around50 new jobs will be created. Thenew R&D facility, which is due tobe completed by the end of2006, will support architectural,furniture and appliance marketsectors and will become thecompany’s Centre of Expertise forthese sectors in North America.

Akzo Nobel News and Views, 17 Oct 2006,(Akzo Nobel nv, PO Box 9300 6800 SBArnhem, the Netherlands, tel: +31 263665760, fax: +31 26 3665850, website:http://newsandviews.akzonobel.com)

Fit for the future: Akzo Nobel

Akzo Nobel has announcedstrategic plans designed toaccelerate profitable growth anddrive the company’s ongoingcommitment to establishingleadership positions in keycoatings and chemicals marketsaround the world. It hasdeveloped a comprehensive,highly focused strategy for itsCoatings/Chemicals activities,which will launch Akzo Nobel intoan exciting new era. Havingcreated room to manoeuvre, AkzoNobel can now take fulladvantage, with innovations,acquisitions and greenfieldinvestments being three of thekey drivers for top-line growth.Organic growth, such as variousexpansions in China, andacquisitions, including the recentCoatings deals involving Sico andFlood, are the backbone of thecompany’s expansion strategyand are helping to create strong,profitable businesses. Over thenext three years, Akzo Nobelintends to outpace growth in itschosen markets and is alsoaiming for an operational ROI(return on investment) of morethan 20%, as well as maintainingits A- rating. Further reducing thecost base in mature markets by€100 M is an important elementof this strategy.

Akzo Nobel News and Views, 19 Oct 2006,(Akzo Nobel nv, PO Box 9300 6800 SBArnhem, the Netherlands, tel: +31 263665760, fax: +31 26 3665850, website:http://newsandviews.akzonobel.com)

MARKETSChemical profile: neopentyl glycol

The global capacity for neopentylglycol (NPG), which has principalapplication in base resins used incoatings, totalled 485,000tonnes/y in 2005, according toconsultancy firm TranTech.Western Europe accounts for173,000 tonnes/y of this capacity,while the USA, Asia Pacificregion (excluding Japan), and

Japan account for 140,000tonnes/y, 134,000 tonnes/y, and38,000 tonnes/y, respectively.Western Europe is the biggestconsumer of the material, usingup around 118,000 tonnes/y,trailed by the USA, Asia Pacific,Japan, Latin America, and theMiddle East. Western Europe andthe USA are the primary NPGexporters, with 2005 shipmentsreaching 31,000 tonnes/y and16,300 tonnes/y, respectively. In2005, the Asia Pacific region wasa net importer by 5500 tonnes.Global NPG demand is estimatedto increase by 3.1%/y through2010. Consumption is expectedto rise in most regions, mostsignificantly in the Asia Pacificregion at 6%. NPG demand forpowder coating and syntheticlubricant applications is seen toexpand by more than 5%/ythrough 2010. Iran based ShahidRasuli will start up a 12,000tonne/y facility in 2007. A JV wasestablished by MitsubishiChemical and Mitsubishi Gas inSep 2005 to manufacture andmarket polyvalent alcohols. Thepartners will most likely ramp upNPG capacity to 50,000 tonnes/y.A table shows global NPGcapacity. Another table lists NPGapplications.

ICIS Chemical Business, 2 Oct 2006,(Website: http://icischemicalbusiness.com)

Phoqus 1H 2006 losses narrow; seesdevelopment deals struck in 2006

Phoqus Group PLC admitted thatprogress in securing developmentdeals for its pill coatingtechnology has been slower thanexpected, as the companyunveiled narrower interim lossesafter admin expenses droppedfrom 2005. Chief executive AndyJones told that he is confidentthe group will manage to sign itsfirst deal in 2006, saying a seriesof “encouraging” talks are takingplace. The Kent-based group hasa proprietary electrostatic coatingtechnology, called LeQtracoat,based on so-called electrostaticdry powder deposition technology.