8Additives for Polymers July 2014

STRATEGIES

of 2014. It will have an initial capacity of 3500 tonnes of masterbatch per annum but the com-pany says that there is ample space at the site for future expansions.

The new Chinese site, 90 km northwest of Shanghai, will service international companies with operations in China and Asia, as well as local enterprises. Target markets include the automotive, electrical, white goods and consumables industries. According to Russell Livesey, managing director and CEO of Colloids, setting up a masterbatch manufacturing plant in Changshu is ‘an exciting and positive development in the his-tory of Colloids’. ‘This is part of our ongoing strategy to grow Colloids’ masterbatch presence in Asia, offering our custom-ers the benefit of our products being produced and supplied locally and further enhancing our global capabilities’, he says. In view of the company’s annual growth rates, the new mas-terbatch plant in the Changshu Economic and Technological Development Zone, represents ‘a key strategic building block’ that enables it to serve efficiently the emerging local markets on-site, Livesey adds. The company will develop relationships and supply local Chinese customers who will benefit from Colloids’ expertise combined with local production. The Changshu development is also planned to meet the needs of the company’s established western customers as they grow in China.

Colloids, which is part of the Tosaf group, already has two manufacturing plants in the UK, at Knowsley and Rushden, manufacturing white, colour, additive and black masterbatches. The company currently employs 130 peo-ple and generates annual income of $55 million.

Contact: Colloids Ltd, Liverpool, UK. Tel: +44 151 546 9222,

Web: www.colloids.co.uk

Addivant opens new headquarters as celebrates first anniversary

New US polymer additives major Addivant has marked its first anniversary as a standalone

organization with the opening of its new head-quarters in Danbury, CT, USA. Addivant was previ-ously a business unit of Chemtura in Middlebury, CT, and became an independent portfolio compa-ny of SK Capital in May 2013 [ADPO, July 2013]. From its new HQ, the company operates 11 plants on five continents and nine technology and appli-cation testing centres worldwide.

According to Addivant, the new facility (see below for address details) ‘demonstrates its strong commitment to growth’. Speaking at the HQ’s opening ceremony, CEO Peter Smith said that the company has made ‘significant progress in 12 short months’, and become a respected standalone company that is ‘growing and innovating’ through investments in production capacity, new products and specialized expertise. ‘Our strong intellectual property portfolio of innovative, proven technologies, along with our new management provides a strong foundation for us to build upon. We are well positioned for future success, and will continue to serve our customers as a long-term strategic partner and solutions provider’, he said.

In the coming months, Addivant says that it plans to announce innovative new products and technologies, begin the next phase of its capacity expansions in South Korea and Saudi Arabia and, in August, open its first customer formulations centre in Shangdong, China. It has also recently boosted its presence in the Southern African mar-kets by appointing Synetica (Pty) Ltd as the new distribu-tor for its entire range of polymer additives for the region.

Addivant is a global supplier of antioxidants, antiozo-nants, intermediates and inhibitors, polymer modifiers, and light stabilizers for the automotive, packaging, con-sumer durables, electrical/electronics, building & con-struction, and agriculture sectors. It claims to be the only manufacturer to market all major families of stabilizers.

Contact: Addivant, 4 Mountainview Terrace, Danbury, CT 06810, USA.

Tel: +1 203 702 6140, Web: www.addivant.com

Akcros establishes new additives venture in India

UK-based Akcros Chemicals has established a new venture in India. In addition to a sales

office in Mumbai, Akcros India has set up a dedi-cated independent production facility for local manufacture under the global Akcros brands.

Akcros India will promote a full range of stabilizer technologies, along with biocides, bonding agents, epox-ies and antistatic agents. The new organization is headed by managing director Gita Bendale. ‘With my new team and Akcros’ support, we will build a great business in this rapidly developing market, bringing high-quality products and services to the industry’, Bendale says.