The TiO2 industry experienced a strong increase in sales during 3Q20, gaining approximately 4% in sales outside of China. Despite reduced utilization rates, TiO2 prices in North America have remained stable through the pandemic for multi-national producers, while the price of Chinese imports has dropped nearly USD400/t since the beginning of 2020. Despite the differential in pricing, Chinese producers have not been able to capture significant share in North America. Why?
TiPMC believes there are several major issues adversely impacting growth of Chinese imports into North America. These include chloride pigment availability, quality and consistency of product, available grades, local representation, local production, and available slurry products.