CLIPPING
The company is also investing in a new production line for
theirEasaquapolyisocyanatesattheFreeportplant,Texas. In
addition to their capacityexpansions, Vencorex is alsogoing
to further reinforce their research anddevelopment efforts,
while improving its global sales andmarketingorganization,
accordingtoZanin.“We’rereallygladtoannounceallofthese
expansionsand investments thatwill allowus tobetterserve
our customers worldwide. Our strategic goal is to not only
improve our product availability, but also expand our sales
networksonall continents.”
In the full version of this interview, available in Portuguese
only, director Danilo Zanin also talks about growth in the
industry and thedifficulties and challenges posedbyBrazil’s
current economic crisis, aswell aswhat theBrazilianmarket
represents toVencorex’sbusiness.
MINERAL ADDITIVES – FILLERS/SLURRIES -
MULTIFUNCTIONALANDULTRAFINE
The latest news on themineral fillers market concerns the
developmentofmicrometricproducts,whichcontinue tobe
a major challenge facing suppliers of those materials.
“Ultrafine products demand large amounts of energy
andmassive investmentstobeproduced.Thosedemands
eventually act as a barrier to their entry in themarket.
In addition, the industry’smain concerns today are as-
sured supply andproduct quality. This is becausemany
manufacturersofmineralfillersfail tokeepupthequality
of their products and to secure a regular supply. This is
a problem to the paint and coatings industry because
mineralfillers inshortsupplyandvarying inquality force
formulators to introducecorrections in theirproduction
processes,thereby increasingoperatingcosts.Anyrecur-
renceof thatproblemcancauseapaintbrand to lose its
marketshare,”saysLamiltechnicalsalesdirectorKensley
AlvesdeOliveira.
The nano-particle technology has been themainobjec-
tive among suppliers ofmineral fillers, but no practical
result has been achieved so far due to the high cost of
that technology, according toJoséCarlosBartholi, sales
directoratMinériosOuroBranco.“Likewise,theproducts
