Kemira Pigments, Inc. Scholarship in Chemistry
Kemira Pigments, Inc. is a subsidiary of Kemira Oy, the Finnish Chemicals Group, with headquarters in Helsinki, Finland. Kemira Oy has production plants in twenty countries and employs approximately eleven thousand people worldwide. Kemira Pigments produces titanium dioxide pigments for coatings, paper, plastics, inks, rubber, fibers, food, and other specialty applications. In addition, the pigments group produces a variety of special pigments and titanium chemicals as well as by-products from its manufacturing operations. Kemira Pigments’ three titanium dioxide plants are located in Finland, the United States, and the Netherlands. Kemira utilizes both the chloride and sulphate routes in production of titanium dioxide. In 1985, Kemira Oy acquired American Cyanamid’s titanium dioxide plant located in Savannah, Georgia. The first unit of the Savannah plant, now Kemira Pigments, Inc., was built in 1955. This was a sulphate process line based upon know-how which Cyanamid acquired from United Color and Pigment in the purchase of a small plant at Piney River, Virginia. A second sulfate process line was added in 1957. In 1969 a chloride process line began initial production. Today, following several expansions, the Savannah plant produces a full line of titanium dioxide pigment grades including anatase TiO2 via the sulphate route and rutile from the chloride process. Products from the plant are sold around the world. On October 28, 1993, Kemira dedicated its new Savannah Research and Development center. This fifty-three thousand square foot facility, costing eleven million dollars, houses customer service, process control laboratories, and R & D Labs. The R & D activity has been concentrated in the areas of new product and process development as well as new environmental control systems. The Savannah R & D unit complements the R & D Center located in Pori, Finland.
Impact
Kemira Pigments, Inc. recognizes the outstanding academic reputation of Armstrong State College, now Georgia Southern University, which has served the Savannah community and the region since 1935. Kemira Pigments, Inc. employs many current Georgia Southern students, as well as Armstrong graduates, whose education has helped make them productive and loyal employees. Kemira Pigments, Inc. understands the importance of public/private partnerships and the promotion of excellence at Georgia Southern. This relationship has been strengthened and will continue to grow over the years by their employees’ use of Georgia Southern for continuing education and cultural enrichment.