Resumen de Cut and thrust in the global abrasives market

Industrial Minerals

• "The abrasives industry is of major importance for the EU," says Franck Verguet, secretary general of FEPA. "European abrasives producers represent extremely high levels of expertise in technical fields. They provide solutions for many other industries in Europe and worldwide, including automotive, aeronautic, energy, green technologies, electronics, communications, construction and agriculture - as well as the do-it-yourself (DIY) segment." US abrasives consumption took a hit when oil and gas prices plummeted in 2014. Making the machinery and solid structures and components required by the energy industry uses large volumes of abrasives, [Jeff Wherry] says. The country's shale oil and gas boom was a good few years for the abrasives sector, he remembers, "but since oil and gas prices have stayed low, this has kind of tailed off now".

  Many of the largest abrasives producers, like Imerys, have locked in their supply and established processes by which they can guarantee access to the quality of material they need at pre-agreed prices. "Imerys' strategy on alumina sourcing is to secure long term supply agreements with well-established partners