DuPont (Wilmington, Delaware / USA; www.dupont.com) in mid-November announced that “it remains on track” to complete the expansion of its titanium dioxide facility in Altamira / Mexico. The 200,000 t/y plant was originally scheduled to go on stream in 2014, but a decline in TiO₂ prices led the company to postpone commissioning to 2015 (see Plasteurope.com of 12.02.2013). In this latest announcement, the group’s Titanium Technologies business division says the facility is set to start production in early 2016, providing no further details.

DuPont said the plant, which when first announced reportedly comes at a cost of USD 500m, will enable it “to improve the efficiency of its TiO₂ production and increase its flexibility to adjust its production output up or down to respond to global demands.” The company added that based on its current market outlook, it expects demand for titanium dioxide to increase gradually in 2016-2018.

Titanium Technologies is part of DuPont’s Performance Chemicals segment, which the group plans to spin off in mid-2015 (for previous coverage, see Plasteurope.com of 28.05.2014).