• Plasticon enters U.S. market • Woodward Iodine installs two • Ershings and Hanwei build FRP • Kenway wins corrosion ACE When will the corrosion market return? The global recession has caused quite a downturn in the fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) corrosion market. Since last year, backlogs have reduced dramatically and the chemical process industry has significantly cut maintenance spending. In addition, the power market is off by more than 50 percent from where it was two years consensus seems to be yes, but when Metal prices often signal the recovery last year, we have seen metal prices plummet to near historic lows. When metal prices are down, stainless steel becomes very competitive with fiberglass composites. More importantly, metal prices are typically down because demand has decreased in the infrastructure markets - a sure sign that industrial activity is low. The International Stainless Steel Forum (ISSF) reports that stainless steel production dropped by almost 7 percent last year and is expected to contract another 17 percent in 2009. ISSF expects a modest rebound for However, some geographies are moving forward. In China, government stimulus packages are increasing infrastructure build. And Chinese steelmakers are taking advantage of favorable prices to acquire stakes equipment is down significantly from this time last year in major Australian iron ore mining projects. Once stainless steel demand returns to China and India, we should market for corrosion. The JEC reports that economic growth rates for emerging countries should return Developed countries are projected to grow at 1 percent to 2 percent in the same time period. With the vacatur of the Clean Air Mercury Rule (CAMR) last year and the EPOXY VINYL ESTER

Corrosion Chronicle Corrosion market return? uncertainties around the current Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR), the U.S. air pollution control market is currently in a state of disarray. Utility owners are also haunted by the likelihood that the EPA may also pass restrictive guidelines on greenhouse gas emissions for coal-fired power plants. Under CAMR, many U.S. coal-fired power plants would be mandated to cut mercury emissions below current levels by 2010, with additional reductions scheduled by 2018. With the vacatur of CAMR, these same utilities are now regulated under a maximum achievable...

Corrosion Chronicle Summer 2009 Ershigs and Hanwei join forces to harvest China corrosion market Ershigs Inc. and Hanwei Energy Services Corp. have recently announced that they have entered into a joint venture agreement to become a leading provider of fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) products to China. Per the terms of the agreement, the two companies will form a 50-50 joint venture (JV) that will establish a wholly foreign owned enterprise subsidiary (WFOE) in Beijing, China. Hanwei and Ershigs will invest a total of RMB 50 million (US$ 7.3 million) in the JV by the end of 2009. Ershigs...

Corrosion Chronicle Summer 2009 Belco delivers two large FRP columns to Woodward Iodine Belco Manufacturing recently delivered a stripping tower and an absorber tower to Woodward Iodine Corporation (WIC) for its iodine production process. Each packed column is 13.5 feet in diameter and 65 – 68 feet tall, weighing in at more than 37,000 lbs a piece! The stripping column, which operates near 140° F (60° C), is where the iodine is blown out overhead as a gas. The vapor is channeled through 60 feet of fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) duct and then captured in the absorber tower which extracts...

Corrosion Chronicle Summer 2009 Ara Ashland develops new corrosion resin for vinasse industry After a full year of ASTM C-581 corrosion testing – and with outstanding results in field applications – Ara Ashland launched a new epoxy vinyl ester resin for the Brazilian corrosion market. With technology based on DERAKANE® 411 and HETRON 922 epoxy vinyl ester resins, this new product is designed for use in composite pipes that transport hot vinasse, a corrosive product obtained produced after ethanol distillation from sugar cane. The new resin can also be used in cooling tower applications at vinasse...

Plasticon enters U.S. FGD market fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) chimney liner market - Plasticon North America. Plasticon North America is a 100 percent subsidiary of Plasticon Europe, a diverse FRP manufacturer with more than 60 years in fabrication experience in Europe and other parts of the world. Plasticon's operations span in eight countries as well as several field winding these winding operations differentiate itself from Although these traits were competition, they have core values of Plasticon approach to field winding. This unique building allows Plasticon to produce chimney liners...

Kenway wins ACMA Corrosion ACE Award Kenway Corporation took First Place for Technical Innovation in a Corrosion Application in the Composites Excellence Awards (ACE) at COMPOSITES & POLYCON 2009 in Tampa, Fla. ACE is the composite industry’s premier product award competition. It is designed to recognize technology achievement, excellence in composites manufacturing and advancements in product development. The ACE Corrosion Award is sponsored by Ashland. It is presented to the product that is judged to have significant market impact and presence while exemplifying the use of composites, making...

We want to hear from you! Do you have a technical question about using an Ashland resin? Want to know what resin is suitable for a given application? Send your inquiries to [email protected]. We’re also looking for interesting new stories and welcome your ideas. Simply send in your question or idea — we’ll be in touch soon! Corrosion Chronicle is published by Ashland Inc. and reports the many ways professional fabricators tell us they are using HETRON FR resins to manufacture fireresistant reinforced plastic (fiberglass) equipment. For additional technical product information on HETRON FR...