Chemicals From the Beginning

Chemicals are as deeply rooted in Wah Chang's heritage as are metals. We first used chemicals to help produce our reactive and refractory metals for the Navy in 1956.

Today, Wah Chang not only uses chemicals to manufacture hafnium, niobium, titanium, vanadium and zirconium mill products but is a volume producer of a variety of chemicals for industrial, electronic, and consumer applications. Antiperspirants, paper coatings, paint dryers, and textile finishing and waterproofing agents often contain Wah Chang chemicals, making effective use of their reactivity in liquid environments.

Two of the most common precursors for aqueous solutions of zirconium-based chemicals are zirconium basic sulfate (ZBS) and zirconium basic carbonate (ZBC). Wah Chang, the worlds largest producer of zirconium metal, has been a commercial supplier of ZBS and ZBC since 1988, when it opened a facility dedicated to manufacturing these products.

Wah Chang refines reactive metals from ore using a chemical process that can produce over 90,000 pounds per day of zirconium tetrachloride and oxychloride. It uses these intermediate products to make ZBS and ZBC.

Wah Chang's chemical and metal businesses complement each other, ensuring economies of scale that keep manufacturing costs low and guarantee the ready availability of these chemicals. Today, Wah Chang is not only the world's leading producer of reactive and refractory metals, but a growing manufacturer of specialty chemical products, with modern production facilities.

Because Wah Chang closely monitors all production processes, customers can count on a quality product time after time. The company's Process Engineers have developed these manufacturing methods based on years of experience producing high quality oxide for the production of zirconium and hafnium metals.

Custom Chemicals

Wah Chang produces ZBS and ZBC in a dedicated production facility located adjacent to its main zirconium refining plant. The company has upgraded production equipment and expanded its capacity several times. Using batch processing, Wah Chang can readily adapt to meet special requirement for individual customers. For example, MO(2) content can be controlled to produce the special reactivity required for paint drier applications. The plant's current capacity is 10 million pounds combined (contained zirconium oxide weight) of ZBS and ZBC annually.

In addition to its basic products, Wah Chang has facilities to produce high quality zirconium oxide and silicon tetrachloride. The company produces three grades of zirconium oxide: reactor grade, jet milled, and ultra-high-purity. Wah Chang has gained recognition as a major producer of silicon tetrachloride for use in the fiber optic market. As with ZBS and ZBC, Wah Chang produces these chemicals under strict process controls, ensuring products of consistently high quality.

Quality Control

Quality is a very important issue with Wah Chang as it is with all successful companies. But Wah Chang takes it to new levels. That is why one in eight workers at Wah Chang is in Quality Assurance, Control, or Engineering. Taking that a step further, with the company's total quality programs, every worker involved in producing the product is part of the company's Quality Assurance program.

Wah Chang operates a world-class analytical laboratory that can analyze a wide variety of inorganic compounds to levels as low as parts per billion. The laboratory is just one more reason why Wah Chang's chemical customers count on receiving a consistently reliable product.

Shipping and Handling

Wah Chang ships ZBS and ZBC in bulk quantities (truck or rail) in tote bags. MSDS sheets are available for proper handling and processing of all Wah Chang chemicals. For further details, contact Wah Chang's Sales Department (541) 967-6903. The FAX number is (541) 967-6994.