Asian Metal visits Zhuzhou Decheng, Zhuzhou Cemented Carbide Group, Zhuzhou Gaoli New Materials and Hengyang King Xing Lifeng

Tantalum and niobium market associate analyst of Asian Metal, June Cai, visited Zhuzhou Decheng Non-ferrous Metal Industrial Co., Ltd., Ta & Nb products department of Zhuzhou Cemented Carbide Group, Zhuzhou Gaoli New Material Co., Ltd. and Hengyang King Xing Lifeng New Material Co., Ltd. on May 30 and 31, 2013.

In the morning of May 30, Asian Metal visited Zhuzhou Decheng Non-ferrous Metal Industrial Co., Ltd. and talked about the condition of tantalum niobium market with Deng Zhisheng, the director, and He Chunhua, the assistant. Being set up in January, 2004, the company is a private joint-equity enterprise and specializes in tantalum carbide, tantalum oxide, niobium oxide, niobium carbide, potassium fluotantalate, tantalum niobium solid solution and CK material, etc. Its annual sales revenue has reached over RMB50 million in 2011 from RMB1 million when the company was set up and its sales internet has covered the whole country. The sales of tantalum carbide not only has covered most regions in domestic market, but also has started to cooperate with overseas consumers since 2011. Mr. Deng stated that the development of hard alloy and the demand for tantalum carbide in domestic market still significantly lag behind that of international market due to the unsatisfying market at present. As a consequence, the company should actively expand its market on basis of the demand from international market. Meanwhile, Mr. Deng also praised the work of Asian Metal.

Asian Metal visited the Ta & Nb Department of Zhuzhou Cemented Carbide Group and talked with Wang Changwen, sales manager, about the current market on May 30 afternoon. As one of the major project of the 156 projects carried out during the "First five-year plan", the company mainly produces six series of products, including metal cutting tools, mines and oil field drilling and excavating tools, cemented materials, tungsten molybdenum products, tantalum niobium products and non-ferrous metal powder products. The main products of tantalum niobium department are tantalum carbide and niobium carbide powder products and material products including capacitor tantalum powder, tantalum wire, metallurgical tantalum powder, tantalum ingot, niobium ingot, tantalum products and niobium products. Currently the company specializes in products that are produced through pyrometallurgy. Mr. Wang remarked that improving products quality and reducing costs have become the priority for survive of an enterprise as the production capacity and output of tantalum carbide and niobium carbide are increasing gradually in domestic market at present. The department was approved by the EICC in August 2012 and its products have got the green card to enter into the world market.

In the afternoon of May 30, Asian Metal also visited Zhuzhou Gaoli New Material Co., Ltd. and talked with Yi Weiwen, vice general manager, about the current market. With the manufacturing and processing capacity of 3-5tpm, the company focuses on the manufacturing and processing of tantalum niobium products and built its processing base in Yanling, Hunan. Mr. Yi stated that demand for tantalum products remains relatively stable compared with that of tantalum oxide and niobium oxide in domestic market at present. However, the production has not yet saturated currently and orders for the latter half of the year are not well either.

In the morning of May 31, Asian Metal visited Hengyang King Xing Lifeng New Material Co., Ltd. and was warmly welcomed by Chen Yi, the general manager. Being set up in December 1993, the company is a Sino-foreign joint-venture company and first joint-venture enterprise that specializes in processing tantalum niobium in domestic market. With the annual production capacity of 200 tons, 100 tons and 80 tons for potassium fluotantalate, niobium oxide and tantalum oxide respectively, the company deals with high grade tantalum niobium concentrate, high purity tantalum niobium compound and new biochemical material of sound, magnet and light. The company has over 80 employees at present. Mr. Chen opined that the company keeps its production relatively stable and carries out the transformation and upgrade of equipments on the basis of guaranteeing its normal production and does their best to reduce the emission of wasted gas and water. As for the current market, Mr. Chen remarked that tantalum niobium market is still dim as prices are disorganized due to different origins and qualities of the raw materials. Domestic medium and small manufactures should focus on improving products quality and enterprise images instead of only enlarging their production capacity and output.