DuPont (Wilmington, Delaware / USA; www.dupont.com) will add 350,000 t/y to its global 1.1m t/y titanium dioxide capacity over the next three years. The investment will be spread over the five production sites of subsidiary DuPont Titanium Technologies. The biggest-ticket item is a new USD 500m line at Altamira / Mexico, due on stream at the end of 2014.

Upgrades under way at Altamira and the other four TiO₂ manufacturing sites at DeLisle, Mississippi; New Johnsonville, Tennessee and Edge Moor, Delaware in the US and Kuan Yin / Taiwan will lift output by an additional 150,000 t/y. The US group, which regards itself as world’s largest TiO₂ producer, said it will “continue to identify capacity options,” including the envisaged 200,000 t/y plant at Dongying / China, plans for which were announced in 2009. According to BC Chong, president of DuPont Titanium Technologies, all required submissions have been provided. Approval “is now the hands of the Chinese authority.”

Market reports say worldwide capacity forTiO₂ will remain tight over the next several years, and prices will go higher. DuPont – (see Plasteurope.com of 17.05.2011) and Kronos (see Plasteurope.com of 17.05.2011) have meanwhile announced a price increase.