TiO2 site for Dongying?

and the city of Dongying, Shandong province, China, have begun talks that could lead to construction of a world-class titanium dioxide (TiO2) plant in the city's Economic Development Zone. TiO2 is widely used in the coatings, plastics and paper industries.

"Current and forecast demand for titanium dioxide in Asian markets, especially China, is growing faster than any other region of the world," said Sam Severance, vice president and general manager of DuPont Titanium Technologies. "Our goal is to be strategically positioned as the leading TiO2 supplier in that expansion."

DuPont teams have visited China and other Asian nations to identify sites suitable for TiO2 manufacturing. DuPont said in a statement that any commitment to a specific site is contingent on the success of negotiations with local entities, meeting a variety of regulatory requirements and obtaining internal DuPont approvals.

DuPont, the world's largest manufacturer of titanium dioxide, operates three TiO2 plants in the United States, one in Mexico and one in Taiwan. In addition, finishing and slurry plants are located in Brazil, South Korea and China. The new plant in China would serve the plastics, coatings and paper industries in that nation and the region.