Titanium dioxide, also known as TiO2, is used as a basis for all colours, to give brightness to everyday products such as paints, inks, paper, food, cosmetics and ceramics, amongst others.
Did you know?
Titanium dioxide is:
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Essential for everyday products like sunscreen, paints, coatings, books, cars and plastics
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The go-to pigment for food colouring – if it’s white, it’s probably TiO2!
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When used in paint, has the potential to clean harmful pollutants
One of the major advantages for titanium dioxide is its resistance to discolouration under ultraviolet (UV) light in exposed applications. Thanks to this property it plays a critical role in some sunscreen personal care products; outdoor plastics products such as PVC window profiles, paint and coatings.
The annual global production of titanium dioxide is over 4 million metric tons. Around 60% is used in paints or coatings, 20% in plastics, 12% in paper and 8% in a wide range of smaller applications.
Telko and Titanium Dioxide availability
In the beginning of this year Telko established partnership with the world 2nd biggest producer of titanium dioxide Cristal. The company operates eight manufacturing plants in seven countries on five continents and employs nearly 3,400 people worldwide.
Cristal’s facilities are strategically located in order to enable reliable supply to the customers worldwide. Partnership with Telko will even strengthen geographical presence of Cristal’s titanium dioxide TIONA ensuring that as the user of TiO2 You will be able to get it from the network of our local warehouses.
TiO2 market is known to be volatile. Year 2017 has started with tough TiO2 availability, which was further impacted by the fire at the Huntsman’s plant in Pori, Finland. European titanium market is tight in Q1 2017 and according to ICIS analytics it will remain tight into Q2.
In the situations when the product is short on the market Telko together with Cristal will strive to ensure stable supply to our regular customers and make sure the product is available from our stocks.
How can we help in your TiO2 choice?
Research and development plays a critical role for our partner’s strategy. The specialists at Cristal’s world-class R&D laboratories are aiming at meeting and exceeding the ever-changing requirements of end users as well as at developing and improving the efficiency of titanium production processes.
When it comes to making right choice of white pigment or shifting from one TiO2 supplier to the other, there is a lot of factors to consider for you as a technologist. For example if you are paint producer, there might be such questions to clarify:
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How will white pigment influence tinted systems?
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Opacity and tinting strength of TiO2
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How will TiO2 impact the gloss of paint?
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What is dispersibility and compatibility of this white pigment in the system?
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Are there possibilities for costs savings by introducing alternative TiO2 in formulation?
Our technical sales specialists together with Cristal’s technologists will be able to address all these important questions and advise the best TIONA or TIKON grade, either you are searching for cost effective, multi-purpose dioxide pigment or higher performance, durable products.
Follow our further blogs to learn more about particular grades of TIONA and TIKON.
Contact Telko´ s chemicals sales team:
phone (09) 521 7200
chemicals@telko.com
Telkos global contact informatio: http://www.telko.com/contacts