The industry newsmakers are making headlines.

Titanium dioxide pigment manufacturer Tronox Inc., Oklahoma City, has named Thomas W. Adams chairman and CEO, succeeding Robert M. Wohleber, Kerr-McGee senior vice president and chief financial officer, who resigned as chairman and a director of Tronox in connection with the distribution by Kerr-McGee Corp. of its shares of Tronox Class B common stock to Kerr-McGee shareholders.

Mutsuo Aoki has been made the new head of BASF's coatings business in Asia-Pacific. Aoki also holds the position of president of BASF Coatings Japan Ltd., Tokyo. Aoki's predecessor is Manfred Schmale, who is now the head of the company's Global Product Management OEM in Münster, Germany.

Buckeye Color & Chemical, Dover, Ohio, has strengthened its sales team with the addition of Chris Baker, who has joined the company as a technical sales representative.

Davide Bugatti has relocated to Ascon Corp. as North American technical services manager. He formerly served in the after-sales service department at Ascon, S.p.A., in Milan, Italy. Ascon Corp., Batavia, Ill., serves the North American industrial controls and automation industry.

Raabe, Menomonee Falls, Wis., announced that Dean Busler, Tim Dolan and Rocci Mascari are now part of its sales team, joining Mitch Maloney as new-business development representatives.

Pierre Dufresne, president and CEO of SICO Inc., Quebec City, Canada, has made the following appointments to the management team:

• Rodrigue Bauge, vice president - operations, Architectural sector;
  
• Dr. Marc-Andre Chabot, vice president - research, development and applied technologies; and
  
• Robert Brousseau, vice president/general manager, Industrial sector.

Elementis, London, named David W. Dutro president and COO. Dutro will retain his duties as managing director of the Pigments Division.

International Paint LLC, Houston, a division of Akzo Nobel, has hired Darrin Erickson to serve as Protective Coatings sales executive for the North Central United States.

Ball Corp., Broomfield, Colo., has hired can-industry veteran Michael W. Feldser to head up its newly acquired U.S. Can operations. He will be president of Ball's Aerosol & Specialty Packaging Division.

Linetec, Wausau, Wis., hired finishing-industry veteran John Hassert as its regional sales manager serving Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. Hassert reports to Linetec's sales director, Jon Close.

PPG Industries, Pittsburgh, has appointed Mary Hosley to serve as architectural manager for the company's Construction Market Team in New York City.

Lexair, Inc., Cincinnati, has hired John Jennings as national sales director for valves. Jennings' primary duty will be to oversee outside sales to both distributors and direct customers.

DuPont, Wilmington, Del., announced that Douglas L. Moore, vice president and general manager, DuPont Advanced Coatings Systems and DuPont Performance Coatings Europe, would retire August 31. Ferdinand Bauerdick has become vice president and general manager, designate.

Dr. Dennis Olszanski has joined DURA Chemicals, Inc., Alameda, Calif., as business development manager. He brings 30 years of industrial experience in metals-based chemistries to this position.

Silberline Manufacturing Co., Inc., Tamaqua, Pa., a global supplier of effect pigments, has appointed John Wesley Oren as vice president of operations. Oren, previously employed at J.M. Huber, Atlanta, managed eight plants and brings nearly 20 years of manufacturing experience and leadership to Silberline.

Napier Environmental Technologies Inc., Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, has appointed Robert C. Smart director of North American Sales.

Robert K. Wise has been appointed vice president of sales and marketing for the Water & Wastewater Services & Products Group for TEFSA-USA, Scottsdale, Ariz.