Sachtleben's long-term supplies assured thanks to new logistical concept.
Supply of raw and feed materials for Sachtleben's plants in Finland and Germany is now assured by means of combination shipping.
The overall volume of cargo transport, particularly in the field of bulk products, also shrinks in times of crisis; the shipping lines then prefer to leave their ships "at anchor", rather than send them out onto the world's oceans half empty - a factor which decreases saleable global shipping capacity. In addition, it also becomes more difficult to predict availability. This is precisely the point at which Sachtleben's Purchasing team began its innovational planning, as soon as these problems could be foreseen. An alliance with Swiss logistics partner Cargill/Yasheya assures - starting immediately - that loads of high-density titanium ore feedstocks - from Asia, among other exporting regions - destined for Sachtleben will be "topped off" where necessary with an additional cargo of greater or lesser volume. The capacity of a large 50,000 tonne bulk carrier can then be fully utilized conveying Sachtleben's ore plus other, lighter, freight. The voyage then becomes cost-effective for the ship-owner, with the result that this clever and unusual combination of cargoes can be used to guarantee supply of the necessary raw materials to the plants at Pori and Duisburg at all times. The basis for such security is provided by the long-term agreements that underpin this innovative logistical concept. Black titanium ores are the basic feed-material required for production of titanium dioxide white pigment (E171). Sachtleben produces more than 200,000 tonnes of this special product annually in its two plants, resulting in a need for over 400,000 tonnes of titanium ores and other feed materials annually, from all parts of the world, to permit continuous, trouble-free production.
[Source: Communication] [March 2009] Overview