$20 million research centre

Citation

(2000), "$20 million research centre", Pigment & Resin Technology, Vol. 29 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/prt.2000.12929fab.006

$20 million research centre

$20 million research centre

Keywords Millennium Inorganic Chemicals

Millennium Inorganic Chemicals reports that its Research Centre in Baltimore, USA, is officially open. This $20 million centre is located at 6752 Baymeadow Drive, and comprising of a 120,000 square-foot, this world class research facility houses a large fraction of Millennium's world-wide research effort.

The facility houses approximately 125 scientists, engineers, technicians, support staff and managers. There are currently 28’laboratories up and running, with construction concluding on three others and space for five others. There is a "footprint" for eventual use by the company engineers as a scale up laboratory. Millennium's Technical Service laboratories are also located here, representing the company's commitment to paper, plastics, and coatings customers.

Approximately 90 people relocated to the Research Centre from the previous Ft. Armistead Road Technical Centre site. The additional headcounter represents new high tech jobs and transfers from Millennium's other sites world-wide. The building could house up to 200-220 professional staff should additional growth be deemed appropriate.

Millennium also informs us that it has increased prices by E150 per tonne of its Tione titanium dioxide (TiO₂) products sold in Europe. The price increase affects all customers and includes both anatase and rutile products.

"Low prices in Europe and the weakness of the Euro make this increase necessary", said Gary Cianfichi, sales director-Europe. "This price increase is in addition to the E160 per tonne increase announced on April 1 which is being fully implemented. Also Millennium is implementing premium charges for LTL shipments, reflecting the higher costs, for both distribution and handling, of these orders".

Also recently announced by MIC is a price increase for Tiona® titanium dioxide (TiO₂) products for the coatings and plastics industries sold in North America.

Prices for all Tiona products for these industries will increase 4 cents per pound in the United States and 7 cents per pound in Canada. According to Millennium the increase will enable it to continue to reinvest in its technology and business to meet future requirements of its coatings and plastics customers.