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Chromic Acid
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PRODUCER |
CAPACITY* |
Elementis Chromium, Corpus Christi, TX |
36,000 |
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Occidental Chemical, Castle Hayne, NC |
47,000 |
*Short tons per year of
chromic acid, 100% CrO3 basis. Production is by the reaction of sodium
dichromate with concentrated sulfuric acid or by electrolysis of sodium
dichromate.
In 1998, American Chrome was
renamed Elementis Chromium as part of a new chemicals group that was formed
by its U.K. parent firm, Harrisons & Crosfield. H&C sold its
non-chemicals operations, and now operates as Elementis, PLC.
Profile last published
11/10/97; this revision 12/18/00.
DEMAND
1998: 47,000 short tons; 1999: 48,100 short tons; 2003: 52,600 short tons,
projected. Demand equals production plus imports (1998: 4,700 s.t.; 1999: 7,400
s.t.) less exports (1998: 11,200 s.t.; 1999: 12,400 s.t.).
GROWTH
Historical (1994 - 1999): 2.3 percent per year; future: 2.3 percent per year
through 2003.
PRICE
Historical (1994 - 1999): High, $1.22 per pound, drums, t.l.,
c.l., frt. equald.; low, $1.22 per pound, same basis. Current: $1.22 per pound,
same basis.
USES
Wood preservatives, 72 percent; metal finishing, 22 percent;
miscellaneous, including magnetic material (chromium dioxide) and catalysts, 6
percent.
STRENGTH
Wood preservatives is the largest and fastest growing application sector for
chromic acid – currently 2.7 percent per annum. Metal finishing, which
includes chrome plating, aluminum anodizing and other metal treating
applications, consumes 22 percent of chromic acid and is growing at 2.1 percent
per year.
WEAKNESS
Chromium dioxide, used as magnetic material for premium high-fidelity
magnetic tapes is in decline, about minus 3 percent per year, but the base is
relatively small – less than 5 percent of the total chromic acid market.
OUTLOOK
Chromated copper arsenate, the principal wood preservative manufactured from
chromic acid, is providing virtually all the driving force for the chromic acid
market. Over the next four years, U.S. chromic acid consumption is anticipated
to grow modestly, at 2.3 percent annually.
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