Cookson sees improving markets (18 Nov 2009)
Cookson Group plc, the world’s largest solder manufacturer and tin consumer, announced revenue for Q3 2009 was £145 million, 5% higher than Q2 but still 18% lower than Q3 2008. Monthly trading profits for the solder business in Q3 showed an improving trend, particularly in September as the summer vacation period ended and the division entered into its peak seasonal period. The electronic materials end-markets, which account for 2/3 of the division’s revenue continued to improve throughout Q3. However, the industrial and automotive markets, which account for 1/3 of the division’s revenue remained weak.
For the group’s business as a whole, which includes ceramics and precious metals, the company sees performance improving into Q4, although anticipating the normal reduction in activity in December due to customer shutdowns. Performance in 2010 will be dependent on the speed and strength of the recovery in the global economy.
Less than two weeks to REACH deadline (18 Nov 2009)
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), the body responsible for managing the REACH registration process, has alerted downstream users of substances (including tin) and chemicals in the EU to the impending deadlines by which they should make their uses known to the suppliers. The provision of information on substance use to suppliers is an inherent requirement of downstream users under REACH to ensure that all of their substance uses are covered in their supplier registration.
The deadline for downstream users of tin to communicate their use information to their supplier or to ITRI (which is managing the REACH consortium for tin) is 30 November 2009. Tin uses not included in the relevant REACH dossier will not be legal in future unless users choose to fulfil the related, costly and time consuming, assessment duties themselves.
More information on the requirements relating to tin metal use can be obtained from
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Fall in Brazilian tin production (13 Nov 2009)
Brazil’s tin association SNIEE reported national mine tin-in-concentrate output for January to September 2009 was 8,101 tonnes, down 14.7% from the 9,495 tonnes produced the same period last year. This was due mainly to the fall in production at Taboca’s Pitinga mine in spite of the increased output from the garimpeiros.
Refined tin production during the period was 7,702 tonnes, 4.8% lower year-on-year.
Nippon Steel consortium to acquire 55% of Latinusa (12 Nov 2009)
A Japanese consortium led by Nippon Steel Corporation is to acquire a majority stake in Indonesia’s sole tinplate producer, PT Latinusa, for about US$60 million or Yen 5.4 billion. On completion of the deal Nippon Steel will assume management control of the operation, with Nippon Steel Corp holding 35%, Mitsui & Co 10%, and Metal One Corp and Nippon Steel Trading each holding 5%.
PT Latinusa has a tinplate production capacity of 135,000 tpy and is currently 93.9% owned by the state-controlled PT Krakatau Steel. Latinusa also has plans to float 20% of its equity in an IPO on the Jakarta stock market.
(Source: ITRI 19 November 2009)
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