Kronos Worldwide, Inc.
Since 1916, KRONOS Worldwide, Inc. has been producing titanium dioxide pigments (TiO2), the world`s primary pigment for providing whiteness, brightness and opacity. From our earliest beginnings to modern times, KRONOS continues to lead the industry in both process innovation and product quality. KRONOS is the TiO2 company. We take pride in making the world brighter with the most effective whitening agent in the world – titanium dioxide. This inorganic compound pigment makes hundreds of things white – from your computer mouse to the paint on your wall. Paper, toothpaste, sunscreen, cosmetics and just about any other commonplace item colored white contains KRONOS TiO2. TiO2 also makes colors as brilliant as they can be.
Company details
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- Business Type:
- Manufacturer
- Industry Type:
- Manufacturing, Other
- Market Focus:
- Globally (various continents)
About us
KRONOS Worldwide, Inc. and its predecessors have been producing titanium dioxide pigments (TiO2) since 1916. Demand for TiO2 spread throughout Europe, the company built manufacturing facilities in Germany and established sales organizations in France and Belgium. Further growth in worldwide demand led to the construction of additional production facilities in Belgium and Canada during the late 1950s.
One of the most significant milestones in the history of the company was the development and commercialization of its proprietary chloride process technology. Its first chloride process plant was commissioned in the late 1970's, and it was the first commercial TiO2 plant in Continental Europe to utilize the chloride process technology.
Today over 70% of the company's TiO2 capacity is produced through the chloride process.
This technology has become the cornerstone of the company's continued growth as it provides significant economic and environmental advantages from reduced effluent waste treatment requirements and more efficient utilization of energy and manpower resources.
The company has continued to grow and invest in its worldwide TiO2 business and currently operates six production plants and one mine at locations in five countries on two continents.
The company was originally owned by NL Chemicals. But in 1989 NL organized its TiO2 operations under its majority-owned subsidiary, KRONOS Worldwide, Inc. and adopted the KRONOS brand name exclusively. The company still maintains rights to the Titanox brand name, which it had used in certain parts of the world up until that time.
The high quality of KRONOS products is benchmarking in many industrial applications, such as KRONOS 2310 for coatings, or KRONOS 2220 for PVC profiles, KRONOS 2233 for polycarbonates, and KRONOS 2800 for paper laminates. With the widest selection of products available, KRONOS offers its customers excellent solutions to help optimize their products.
Brightening the World
We’ve been making TiO2 for nearly a century now, beginning in 1916 with anatase TiO2 pigments. In 1939, KRONOS began marketing the first rutile TiO2 pigment. Delivering more effective 'hiding power,' rutile TiO2 has since replaced anatase in paints, coatings and plastics.
From our earliest beginnings to modern times, KRONOS continues to lead the industry in both process innovation and product quality.
Sustainability
Sustainability means to act responsibly in economic, ecological as well as social terms on behalf of future generations. Sustainability is a term for a process started within KRONOS in the 1960s and is still ongoing.
To achieve these targets KRONOS is committed to:
- Employees
- Added Value Products
- Taking Less To Make More