Rockwood Pigments Announces Price Increase

Rockwood Pigments NA Inc., Beltsville, Md., has announced plans to raise prices for its iron oxide and other color pigments an average of 10 percent as of Nov. 1, 2005, and to pass on freight surcharges imposed by domestic carriers.

“The unprecedented escalations in raw materials, energy and transportation costs have impacted our ability to deliver the quality products and supply assurance that our customers require,” says Carlton Johnson, president of Rockwood Pigments NA, the North American business of Rockwood’s Color Pigments Division.

According to a release from the company, throughout the past year, Rockwood has absorbed higher energy costs and freight fuel surcharges. Over this time, costs for iron-based materials, ammonia, caustic soda and other key raw materials have also risen significantly. In addition, Rockwood has experienced cost increases on products sourced from China.

“External market forces have changed, and pigment producers can no longer manage these dramatic increases through cost cuts and internal efficiencies. We are facing a new economic reality which requires us to raise prices to meeting the challenge,” says Johnson.

Rockwood’s Color Pigments Division is among the largest worldwide suppliers of iron oxides and colored inorganic pigments for construction, coatings, plastics and specialty applications. The Division’s manufacturing sites are located in the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Canada, Australia and China with offices in Singapore and Shanghai, China.