Vernon Ndimande, General Manager of Chemicals at Air Products South Africa, and David Mitchely, Product Manager, described the range of products as follows; Air Products South Africas Epoxy curing additives are used in a wide variety if applications such as industrial coatings, civil engineering and construction, adhesives and in composites. Our additives provide a cross linking function to the Epoxy thermosetting resins.

In 2008, Air Products and Chemicals (APCI) in the US introduced two new water borne Epoxy curing agents for the flooring and the concrete coating markets. These products offer excellent performances and provide environmental benefits in a cost effective way. These products enable a formulator to use less binder and more filler and water as a dilute. Since these products are water borne, they perform as well or better than conventional solid resin dispersions that struggle to meet volatile organic content (VOC) regulations globally. They also exhibit very low odor.

The polyurethane additives are used as catalysts in the manufacture of foam, ranging from flexible slab stock foam to rigid foams.

Types of catalysts supplied by APSAP are1) amine based, 2) tin based as well as 3) silicone surfactants. These versatile products find use in all types of polyurethane foams and their applications are dependant on the type and levels of TDI and/or MDI as well as the Polyol used. Temperature conditions also affect the choice of suitable additives.

We also have the surfynol range of additives which are a chemically unique class of surface active agents based on acetylenic-diol chemistry i.e. the Gemini molecule which is patented in the US. These additives can be used in applications such as paints, coatings, inks and in concrete admixtures. They provide benefits such as surface tension reduction, surface wetting, foam control and pigment dispersion.

Surfynol additives are also environmentally friendly products in the sense that they reduce or eliminate the use of volatile organic solvents with water by formulators thus lowering VOCs. Surfynols provides environmentally preferable alternatives to phenol based Alkyl Phenol Ethoxylates – (EPA) surfactants, in coatings as well as adhesives applications.

The specialty amines range of additives applications are many and diverse and include production of agriculture chemicals, water treatment chemicals, production of surfactants as well as the manufacture of herbicides.

Of particular importance to APSAP is Choline Chloride which is an essential nutrient and finds its main applications as a feed additive. While the company has about 20% of the local polyurethane market, market share for epoxies is about 30 % to 40 %. Ndimande says that epoxies are some of the most popular chemicals supplied, and they account for a major part of the chemicals division turnover.

Ndimande says that Air Products South Africas sales are very small in comparison to Air Products sales worldwide, rendering insufficient justification for building a chemicals manufacturing plant in South Africa. Air Products South Africa imports all products from the US and the UK. The company also repackages and breaks bulk products for clients at its warehousing and a distribution facility in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town, which is third-party owned, and is also used as a distribution point for chemicals to local clients.

Technical support to manufacturers in South Africa in new product development is provided by Air Products South Africa. Air Products makes use of customers in-house laboratory facilities for customised sample tests, and can also refer to its overseas research departments for assistance.

In the past eight months, the local branch has begun to manage supply orders for exports of chemical products to Southern Africa, previously done by its offices in Europe. About 50 tons per year have been exported so far and we expect this part of the business to grow. In 2007, Air Products worldwide purchased Tomah3 to extend its product offering in its surfactant product portfolio.