The Nizhnekamsk SSC Tire Factory has began production of a new size rear axle fitment for its Kama N 202 series range; the new addition is a 295/80 R 22.5 fitment. In a statement announcing the new tyre’s release, the Russian tyre maker shares that its Kama ‘N’ series tyres with a 202 index are “designed to run on asphalt, rough terrain or dirt roads at any time of the year at temperatures from -45°C to +55°C.”
US-based company Koppers Holdings Inc. has announced the end of manufacturing at its Continental Carbon Australia plant in Kurnell, just south of Sydney. The carbon black facility is scheduled to end operations during the week of 5 December 2011 and preparations for closing the plant will be made over the coming four months. Koppers says the decision, which will affect approximately 65 employees, was taken as a result of an analysis of its manufacturing facilities; this highlighted a number of negative factors working against the Continental Carbon Australia plant, including the strong Australian dollar and raw material availability and cost.
China’s Longxing Chemical Industry, which supplies carbon black and electricity to “major tyre makers” in the people’s republic is reportedly planning to raise 400 million yuan by issuing a maximum of 45 million shares at 9.26 yuan per share in a private placement.
Evonik Industries reports successfully completing the divestment of its carbon black activities on July 29, 2011. The sale of the business to Rhône Capital and Triton Partners is valued at over 900 million euros, the company added.
Evonik Corporation’s divestiture of its carbon black business is expected to be complete by 1 August 2011, but with it will also come a name change. Announced earlier this year, Evonik divested itself of it Carbon Black Business Unit and sold it to affiliates of Rhone Capital and Triton. According to the company, the new business will be known as Orion Engineered Carbons. All of the silica-based products (Aerosil, Aeroxide, Acematt, Sipernat) will continue to be manufactured and sold by Evonik Inorganic Materials.
The European Commission has cleared the proposed acquisition of German chemical company Evonik’s carbon black business under the EU Merger Regulation. This approval under the EU Merger Regulation means that the business’ purchase by US based firm Rhône Capital and Jersey’s Triton is not considered one that will significantly alter the structure of the carbon black market or significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area (EEA); the Commission reached this decision as neither firm has any existing ownership interests in any business that manufactures or sells carbon black.
China’s Aeolus Tyre reports the phasing out of aromatic oil in the production of its truck and bus radial tyres. The Henan province-based manufacturer says that as of May 2011 it has ceased using the rubber accelerator NOBS, curing agent DTDM and antioxidants in the manufacture of TBR tyres intended for the domestic market; tyres intended for export markets have been produced using environmentally-friendly oils for more than two years now. In announcing its total changeover to low-PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon) substances, Aeolus Tyre states it the first 100 per cent environmentally-friendly TBR tyre manufacturer in China.
On June 15, Michelin presented awards to four of its suppliers in recognition of their exceptional contribution in 2010. Held in the tyre maker’s home town of Clermont-Ferrand, the ceremony followed a rigorous assessment of the Michelin Group’s portfolio of suppliers.
The European Commission has cleared the proposed acquisition of US-based Columbian Chemicals by Indigold Carbon, which is controlled by the Indian Aditya Birla Group, both worldwide producers of carbon black. Even though the Commission concluded that the merger would create one of the three largest companies in the carbon black sector, approval was granted under the EU Merger Regulation as it is believed European customers will “continue to enjoy healthy competition.”
Evonik Industries has announced that it has signed an agreement with affiliates of Rhône Capital LLC to sell its carbon black business for over 900 million euros, including the assumption of certain obligations. For its part Evonik reports that it “continues to focus systematically on its core chemical businesses.” Carbon Black is being acquired intact as a whole, with its 1,650 employees, about 500 of whom are based in Germany.
The deal is subject to approval by Evonik’s supervisory board, antitrust authorities etc, but is expected to close during the summer of 2011.
Cabot (China) Ltd. has entered into a joint venture agreement with Risun Chemicals Company, Ltd. The wholly-owned Cabot Corporation subsidiary holds a 60 per cent equity interest in the joint venture, and on March 15 the two companies’ first shared undertaking was announced: Cabot and Risun are to erect a carbon black manufacturing facility in the Chinese city of Xingtai, some 250 miles south of Beijing. The plant is scheduled to be commissioned in early 2013 and will produce approximately 130,000 tonnes of carbon black annually with the potential for expansion to 300,000 tonnes. Advanced emissions control technology and energy recapture will be utilised at the new facility, Cabot notes.
Evonik Carbon Black GmbH, a subsidiary of Evonik Industries, is increasing prices for carbon black and carbon black preparations by up to 200 euros per tonne for deliveries to locations in Europe and the rest of the world. The price increase will be effective for all deliveries on or after April 1, 2011.
The race to acquire Evonik Industries’ carbon black business has narrowed following the withdrawal of Phillips Carbon Black from the final round of the bidding process. Dow Jones Newswires reports the company failed to submit a bid before the final deadline, leaving three or four contenders in the running – Advent International, Triton Partners, Rhone Capital, and possibly Cabot Corp., are said to still be interested.
On January 31, India’s Aditya Birla Group disclosed it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire US-based Columbian Chemicals Company from One Equity Partners, the merchant banking arm of J. P. Morgan Chase & Co. Aditya Birla has purchased One Equity Partners’ equity in Columbian Chemicals through its associates Alexandria Carbon Black Company and Thai Carbon Black Company Limited, along with SKI Investment, an Aditya Birla Group company.
Bedfordshire-based H.E. Payne Transport Limited and its customer, potato merchant Greenvale AP, are trialling a new generation of energy-efficient Duramold retread tyres produced by Vacu-Lug. Unlike other ecologically aware tyres, these products are actually coloured green to reinforce their environmental credentials, the tyres are fitted to a truck and trailer in the Greenvale AP-liveried fleet operated by H. E. Payne Transport on the nationwide distribution of fresh potatoes.
A total of ten of the new tyres have been fitted to the H. E. Payne / Greenvale AP Euro 5 440hp 6×2 Volvo FH13 combination.
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