Friday, May 20, 2016

European Union Graphite Production and Availability (2004-2014)

The British Geological Survey’s “World Materials Statistics Database” was used to produce the graph and table shown below. (Click here) to go to the website where this data is available.)





table
production (mined) metric tons
imports metric tons
exports metric tons
available metric tons
2004
8,550
149,924
63,693
94,781
2005
6,124
159,227
44,563
120,788
2006
5,000
135,241
45,481
94,760
2007
3,000
170,026
99,472
73,554
2008
3,250
227,526
52,251
178,525
2009
28,102
94,321
37,826
84,597
2010
7,053
173,097
47,551
132,599
2011
925
162,640
52,950
110,615
2012
328
115,861
43,618
72,571
2013
769
115,421
36,035
80,155
2014
1,017
136,970
39,805
98,182
average
5,829
149,114
51,204
103,739


The data shown is for natural graphite – synthetic graphite data is not included.   The graphite available data represents the total graphite that was produced (mined) in all countries of the European Union plus the graphite imported into those countries less graphite exported from the countries.

The data   shows how depended the European Union is on imported graphite.  On average, over the years 2004 to 2014, the European Union only provided internally (mined) about 6% of the graphite it had available (presumably needed) for use (5,829 metric tons/103,739 metric tons).

Graphite has long been a critical material for many industries such as the steel industry.  In recent years, new and increasing needs of graphite have developed in such areas as smartphones, fuel cells, and batteries.  This increased need has prompted increased interest in more mining of graphite, especially because of concerns over China’s reduction of graphite exports.


Friday, May 6, 2016

What Is Met by Performance in Business Segment Titles?

Several chemical companies use the word performance in one, or more, of their business segment titles found in annual reports.  This blog provides information and some analysis on the use of “performance” in these reporting segment titles.

The following identify companies that use “performance” in one, or more, of their reporting segment titles, the title used, and a brief synopsis of what business is represented by the segment:

BASF.   Performance Products.  Chemicals that improve the properties of a product or a process to which they are added.

Dow.  Performance Materials & Chemicals.  Products that serve customers in a large number of industries including appliance, construction, and industrial.  The products are additive solutions for the customers’ products and services.

Dow.  Performance Plastics.   Plastic/polymer products are marketed on the basis of their performance characteristics and applications.

DuPont.  Performance Materials.  Materials are polymers and performance pertains to the polymer characteristics.

AkzoNobel.  Performance Coatings.  Coatings that are used to protect the surface and/or enhance the surfaces’ performance.

Evonik Industries.  Performance Materials.  Materials are polymers and performance pertains to the polymer characteristics.

PPG Industries.  Performance Coatings.  Performance is used to indicate the chemical is intended to perform special protective and/or surface enhancing characteristics.

Solvay.  Performance Chemicals.  Refers to chemicals that are needed by various industries and sold in large volumes.

DSM.  Performance Materials.  Materials with advanced, better performing properties that DSM has developed and feel are unique and therefore are capable of capturing market share  and higher margins.

Huntsman.  Performance Products.  Chemicals for use in various industries for enhancing those users' products and/or processes.

Laxness.  Performance Chemicals.  Chemicals use in various industries for enhancing those industries’ products and/or processes.

Laxness.  High Performance Materials.  Pertains to polymers/plastics with high performance characteristics.

Sasol.   Performance Chemicals.  Includes specialty chemicals and also commodity chemicals sold into many industries to enhance those industries’ products and/or processes.

Arkema.  High Performance Materials.  Includes both performance additives and polymers with certain performance characteristics.

Based on the above information, the term performance used in reporting segment descriptions in annual reports usually refer to one of the following:  1) additives (specialty chemicals) that enhance the performance of products or processes; 2) polymers that have certain performance characteristics; and 3) a chemical/product, other than a polymer, that is separately used (not an additive) because of its performance, such as a protective coating.   A couple of companies, Solvay and DSM, use performance in the segment title description with an economic implication, e.g. the products sold have excellent sales performance.

With these different ways in which “performance” is used to describe what is being sold (the segment's business), one should be careful to understand the company’s meaning of the word performance.