Kaolin Global Products For Paper

Imerys offers the most comprehensive selection of kaolins for paper, drawing upon reserves in Cornwall, UK; Middle Georgia, US; Rio Capim Caulim, Brazil; and Pittong, Australia. From filler clays to engineered kaolins for coating, Imerys builds properties into your sheet. From the latest in exploration and refining to logistics and delivery to applications expertise and R & D, Imerys offers the kaolin solutions you need for existing grades and new brighter, more opaque and glossier brands.

Product and Application Development
Our kaolins are designed to bring advanced properties to your sheet to achieve more brilliant images, and less downtime due to breaks for you and your printing and converting customers. To support your evolution and reformulation of grades, Imerys is focused on the twin goal of raising the value of the kaolins we provide, and lowering the overall cost of your operations. At research centers in Cornwall, UK; Middle Georgia, US; and Lixhe, Belgium; our scientists are at work to develop the kaolin solutions for higher value and lower cost.

Engineered Kaolins For Future Paper Grades
In a marketplace where life-like color, sharp text, flexibility of the sheet, strength, lighter weight, speedy commercial and home printing are expected with little or no premium paid for enhanced value, what can be done to meet all of these needs? One key factor is scientific advances in the understanding of particle shape and size, creating a new generation of kaolins which enhance print performance and combine with other minerals and chemicals to produce better formulations at lower cost.

New production and process control technologies are allowing for the commercialization of new coating kaolins to meet the needs of tomorrow’s papermakers. Proprietary instrumentation used during on-line kaolin production has now made it possible to commercialize a new generation of products.

Three classes of engineered coating kaolin products are emerging to meet the demands of the global paper industry. The first level can be defined as First Generation Engineered kaolins, which can be characterized by steep particle size distributions. These products have been commercially available for the past ten years and benefits associated with their use are brightness, gloss, and print gloss.

The third class is Functionally Engineered kaolins. These value added products are typically chemically modified to provide distinct functionality to perform in specific applications; i.e. ink-jet printing.

The new engineered kaolins today are finding their niche as a value added tools for a variety of grades which are changing to meet market needs, and improving papermaking and coating efficiencies.