Lanxess has reversed a decision to sell the chromium oxide pigments business at the Krefeld-Uerdingen site in Germany, preserving 50 jobs there. This followed “intensive and lengthy negotiations” to secure a long-term supply of raw materials and identifying further potential for improvement along the entire value chain. Chromium oxide pigments are very heat-stable and are used for colouring glazes and enamels in ceramics, the production of refractory bricks and colouring a wide variety of materials.

Lanxess has expanded its capacity for black synthetic iron oxide pigments at its Krefeld-Uerdingen site in Germany by over 5,000 tonnes/year. This is the world’s largest plant for these pigments.

The investment was made, according to Holger Hüppeler, head of the Inorganic Pigments business unit, because of growing demand from the construction industry, which is increasingly using black pigments to colour concrete. The Bayferrox 330 and 340 grades are widely used in concrete paving stones and roof tiles, and in architecture.

Lanxess has expanded its capacity for black synthetic iron oxide pigments at its Krefeld-Uerdingen site in Germany by over 5,000 tonnes/year. This is the world’s largest plant for these pigments.

The investment was made, according to Holger Hüppeler, head of the Inorganic Pigments business unit, because of growing demand from the construction industry, which is increasingly using black pigments to colour concrete. The Bayferrox 330 and 340 grades are widely used in concrete paving stones and roof tiles, and in architecture.