Columbian Chemicals Co. invests in energy conservation

Columbian Chemicals Co. is investing $19 million in a cogeneration power plant at its North Bend facility in Centerville, La. The power plant will generate a total of 15 megawatts of energy primarily to serve internal facility electrical requirements. Construction of the cogeneration power plant will begin in mid-2006, and it is expected to be operational in early 2007.

“Energy costs always have been a concern for carbon black manufacturers, and with the recent unprecedented rise in energy costs, this investment is in line with Columbian’s commitment to operational efficiency, as well as our commitment to environmental responsibility,” said James P. Berresse, president and CEO.

This investment will use a byproduct gas stream as fuel rather than natural gas, which typically is utilized as fuel in most cogeneration plants. The byproduct gas stream is burned in a boiler to make steam, which is then converted to electricity in a turbine, recovering more than 50 percent of the heat energy available from the gas.

“By recycling the heat energy generated in the carbon black manufacturing process, we will be able to produce more than enough electricity to run the North Bend carbon black facility, which improves our operational reliability and, ultimately, improves the service we deliver to our customers,” said Berresse.

Columbian Chemicals Co. is one of the world’s leading producers of carbon black – an engineered material that improves the strength, durability and overall performance of a range of products including tires and other mechanical rubber goods, as well as inks, paints, plastics and coatings. The company is the only major global carbon black manufacturer to have earned the ISO 14001 certification, an internationally recognized standard for environmental management, at all of its manufacturing facilities.

Based in Marietta, Georgia, Columbian Chemicals Co. is a subsidiary of Phelps Dodge Corp., one of the world’s leading producers of copper. Columbian Chemicals Co. owns and operates 12 carbon black manufacturing facilities in Brazil, Canada, England, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Korea, Spain and the United States.

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