MARIETTA, Ga. (Sept. 17)—Columbian Chemicals Co. will phase out production of medium thermal carbon black in England and reached an agreement with Cancarb Ltd. for the Canadian company to supply its customers with thermal black.
"Given the small-scale nature of production of Sevacarb MT (carbon blacks), we are not able to achieve acceptable returns on this line of products and have made the decision to exit the market," said Jim Howard, Columbian senior vice president of marketing, sales and carbon black technology.
Columbian produces thermal black at its Sevalco Ltd. subsidiary in Bristol, England. Sevalco lists its total annual carbon black capacity at 105,000 metric tons but did not indicate how much of this was medium thermal carbon black.
Columbian did not say when the phase-out and transition would be completed. The firms did not disclose financial terms of the transition agreement.
Cancarb claims to be the world's largest supplier of thermal carbon black, with a 45,000-ton unit in Medicine Hat, Alberta.