Marietta, November 9, 2006 - Eka Chemicals will increase the price of sodium chlorate in North America with immediate effect, contracts permitting, by USD 50 per short ton in the USA and by CD 50 per metric ton in Canada.
“Despite our continual efforts to improve operating efficiency, we are still experiencing a step change in our operating costs, due to rising energy prices,” says Peter Otway, Vice President of Sales at Eka Chemicals, Inc. in North America.
“This price adjustment is required to pass on these cost increases. Electrical power and fuel represent a high percentage of the variable cost of producing sodium chlorate.”
For further information, please contact:
Steve Main
North American Communications Manager
+1 770 321 5821
Eka Chemicals, Inc.
Eka Chemicals with its 2,900 employees in 30 countries, is a business unit within Akzo Nobel. Turnover in 2005 amounted to EUR 889 million. Eka Chemicals is a leading supplier of bleaching chemicals, paper chemicals and systems to the pulp and paper industry throughout the world, and supplies specialty chemicals to, among others, the pharmaceuticals industry, water treatment and electronics industry. www.eka.com
Akzo Nobel is a Global Fortune 500 company and is listed on both the Euronext Amsterdam and NASDAQ stock exchanges. It is also included on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes and FTSE4Good Index.
Based in the Netherlands, we are a multi-cultural organization, serving customers throughout the world with human and animal healthcare products, coatings and chemicals. We employ more than 62,000 people and conduct our activities in four segments − human and animal health, coatings and chemicals − subdivided into 13 business units, with operating subsidiaries in more than 80 countries. Consolidated revenues for 2005 totaled EUR 13 billion. The financial results for the full year will be published on February 15, 2007. www.akzonobel.com