LANXESS’ Inorganic Pigments business unit is in the process of equipping the Bayferrox iron oxide color pigment production plant at its Krefeld-Uerdingen site with new pre-filter units. Apart from optimizing the safety of the plant, this will also enhance internal logistics processes, thereby improving the reliability of supply. It will also lower energy consumption. "The modernization is part of the worldwide project we are currently implementing at all our production sites to optimize processes, enhance efficiency and improve logistics procedures,” says Jörg Hellwig, head of the business unit, adding: “The aim is to meet constantly mounting customer demand around the world as effectively as possible." The capital expenditures in Krefeld-Uerdingen will total around EUR 3 million. Start-up of the new units is now.

The pre-filter units comprise two stainless steel tanks with peripherals connected to them. They take up the liquid color pigments from the synthesis reactors, which operate in batchwise mode. The pigments are then separated off in the filter units, washed to remove the salt, dried, mixed, ground and packaged. The new pre-filters raise the throughput to the filter units, permitting more efficient supply to the downstream dryers. "This simplifies product flow and ensures better control,” says Franz Mory, the engineer in the project team responsible for the modernization work. “It makes us more flexible in terms of order management and means that we can supply our customers more reliably. The newly installed pumps also lower electricity consumption by around five percent," he adds. 

The Inorganic Pigments business unit belongs to the LANXESS Performance Chemicals segment, which achieved total sales in fiscal 2009 of EUR 1,530 million.