Tiwest Completes TIO2 Expansion in Australia, Focuses on Next Phase of Growth

---

Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Tiwest (Perth, Australia), a joint venture of Tronox Western Australia Pty Limted and Exxaro Australia Sands Pty Limited, has completed an expansion of its titanium dioxide (TIO2) plant in Kwinana, Australia, near Perth. Tiwest began construction on the estimated $90 million expansion of its Australian plant in the first quarter of last year, and despite many challenges, including the bankruptcy of joint venture partner Tronox, the project finished as planned and on schedule.

Proteus Consultants (Perth) served as the primary contractor for the project, providing engineering, procurement and construction services for the expansion, which is expected to increase the plant's production from an estimated 50,000 metric tons per year to an overall capacity of nearly 160,000 metric tons per year.

Globally, producers of TIO2 have faced steep challenges in the past year, as demand was already weak prior to the onset of the global economic slowdown. TIO2 producers in the U.S. have witnessed multiple plant closures in recent years that have reduced the number of domestic producers to only a few. Globally, Industrial Info is tracking only four major TIO2 projects that will offer any substantial amount of new capacity. Among these are two grassroot plants: one planned by Tata Steel Limited (BSE:500470) (Mumbai, India) in Tuticorin, India, and another planned by Saraf Group (Ahmadabad, India) in Chhatrapur, India.

Tiwest owns and operates five manufacturing or storage plant sites in Western Australia, serving the Metals & Minerals Industry with natural resources and the Chemical Processing Industry (CPI) with pigments. Tiwest is evaluating options for yet another grassroot site in the state near Dongara, Western Australia. This new plant site will produce an estimated 350,000 metric tons per year of rutile from an open-pit mine. Construction is not expected to begin for several years, although permitting and site studies are well under way.

View Plant Profile - 1030716 3003046 1059126 1082149
View Project Report - 86000780 300009076 89000619 89001467

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. IIR's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle™, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.