The world's only Xirallic plant is closed in Japan, OEM's are already limiting colors

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AndyK

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DARMSTADT, Germany: Japan's earthquake and nuclear disasterhas knocked out the entire world supply of a popular metallic additive to automotive paint, the manufacturer, Merck of Germany, said Saturday.

Merck's product, Xirallic, an enhanced aluminium oxide, is addedto pigment and supplied to paint companies in a range of colours that go by names such as solaris red, stellar green and cosmic turquoise because of their cold, metallic glow.

The world's only Xirallic plant is located 45 kilometres from theFukushima nuclear power station. People living within 20 kilometres of the burned plant must leave, and within 30 kilometres are advised to evacuate.

Merck spokesman Gangolf Schrimpf said at Darmstadt in Germany that160 plant staff and their families had been relocated to safer places and it was unclear when the plant, which was damaged by the earthquake, could resume production.

He could not say what makes of car use Xirallic.
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Due to a pigment shortage stemming from the March 11 earthquake in Japan, Ford has had to stop taking new orders for cars in Tuxedo Black, and is limiting orders of three shades of red. Officials from Ford say they're working on another source for the pigment as you read this, and have enough cars in each color to satisfy demand until production resumes.

The paint shortage affects the F-150 and Super Duty lines of pickups, as well as the Explorer, the Expedition, Focus, Taurus and the Lincoln MKS and Navigator. Ford's slowdown follows General Motors, who slowed production of pickups in Shreveport, Louisiana, as well as compact cars in Europe following parts shortages.

Honda, Toyota and Nissan have all experienced slowdowns as a result of the quake, though none have had to limit color choices.
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This isn't good....
 
[QUOTE='68 Coronet R/T;6376]Hmmm, sounds like its time for an American company to fill a void in the market place.[/QUOTE]

probably will double the cost of it.
 
Chad.S;6382 said:
Great,, good reason I keep stock of extra to be able to mix.
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No, don't you realize? There is a black market for this stuff now. Go sell a bottle for 20x what you originally paid. :D
 
Ford is getting ready to nix some of its colors because of this.. Dupont rep says only place its made in the world is Japan and they hold the patent.. I dunno.. But colors we are painting today we wont very soon
 
Well apparrently we need to stock up on acetylene gas too. The only plant that makes it in the US had a massive fire last week. My gas supplier was saying everybody will be swithching to another gas at some point this year. Forgot the name of it but simular to acetylene.
 
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