Risun Chemicals, a subsidiary of Risun Coal Chemicals Group, and Cabot, a global specialty chemical and performance materials company, have started the construction of a new carbon black joint venture production plant in Xingtai, China. The construction is expected to be completed in mid-2013.
Both the companies have planned to invest about $140 million in the facility. The carbon black project combines Risun’s feedstock and energy integration abilities with Cabot’s technology advancements and its strong leadership position in China, a fast developing country. The project will further strengthen Cabot's leadership position in the carbon black market.
Carbon black, a reinforcing agent, is a key ingredient in the production of tires and it is used to manufacture a wide range of automotive components, including coatings, battery materials, sealants and adhesives. The number of motor vehicles in China is anticipated to increase from 102 million to about 315 million in the next 10 years. Hence, there will be high demand for carbon black products from the tire and automotive sectors in the region. The plant in Xingtai will help to deliver premium carbon black products to meet China's rising demand for high performance reinforcing materials for industrial rubber products and tires.
The Xingtai plant will include a Phase I manufacturing facility with an annual production capacity of 130,000 metric tons of carbon black. It will also enable Cabot to boost its carbon black production capacity in China by 25%. The plant will utilize the most advanced technologies to manufacture high-performance carbon black products, to protect the environment and to use energy efficiently and reduce emissions.
Source: http://www.cabot-corp.com/