European selenium market runs steadily
----Interview with Frank Arm
Head of Selenium Sales and Marketing
RETORTE GmbH
- Asian Metal: Thank you for taking time to have an interview with Asian Metal. Please introduce yourself and your company.
- Frank Arm: •Founded in 1949 as RETORTE Ulrich Scharrer GmbH.
•Since 1954 the company has been headquartered in Röthenbach a. d. Pegnitz in the Nuremberg metropolitan region (Bavaria).
•Since 1974 the company has been a 100% subsidiary of Norddeutsche Affinerie (now: Aurubis AG) specialized in selenium metal and chemicals.
•The company was renamed RETORTE GmbH Selenium Chemicals and Metals in 2007.
•Production is located at the sites in Röthenbach a. d. Pegnitz and Kirchheim, Germany, as well as in Joinville, Brazil.
•The most important sectors are animal feed, glass, metallurgy and the electro-optical industry (e.g. medical technology, solar industry).
•Today, the company delivers to every continent. Exports make up more than 90% of sales.
•Our products are exported directly or via distributors.
- Asian Metal: As we all kown that your company deal with Selenium and Tellerium, can you tell us the details about the Selenium.
- Frank Arm: RETORTE is focused only on Selenium. Te is market by our parent group AURUBIS.
Selenium can be detected in soil, water, plants, animals and human beings
Selenium is most commonly produced from copper ore
> 95 % of world selenium production is won together with primary copper production
Approx. 3 -20 ppm Se content in copper concentrates
Approx. 3 -25% of Se in Anode slime in the copper production
Smaller amounts come from Zinc and Cadmium refineries
Small quantities of selenium from recycling processes (e.g. Vaporizing processes, Glass productions, etc.)
- Asian Metal: Every year China will import large number of Selenium, except for Manganese industry, in which fields can selenium be used?
- Frank Arm: Such as Glass, Ceramics industry, Feed industry, Metallurgy, Electroplating, Electroptical, Laser, Infrared, Solar, Semiconductor devices ,Pigment, paint industry Fertilizer industry ,Pharma industry ,Food industry.
- Asian Metal: I think many market participants are wondering how important role played of the Chinese market in world Selenium market.
- Frank Arm: The Chinese market has a very important impact on the price volatility. Mainly on raw and refined Se, requested by the Manganese industry.
Other applications are relatively stable and do often buy on long term contracts, so the impact on pricing is much lower from glass or nearly not existing for other applications.
- Asian Metal: Recently, we noticed the Eurpean prices of Selenium powder have gone up continually, is it because of the increasing demand? do you think the European market still show upward trend?
- Frank Arm: Demand for Se, outside of China is pretty stable, probably slightly increasing due to the positive economical situation. I do net see a strong increase of the demand for Se, but a stable consumption of the production.
- Asian Metal: Since last year, there appeared a very important buyers ,’Ningxia Tianyuan Manganese", Many people think it will have great influnced on the Se market, do you agree with it,and what 's your opinion on this issue.
- Frank Arm: Hoestly, my information is limited here. We sell since many years for Manganese application in China, but not very regular and pending on our raw material supply situation.
I expect for China a decrease of environmental difficult plants, but (hopefully) an increase of environmental friendly productions. I’m not sure if demand will increase.
- Asian Metal: What 's your outlook for next year 's market, and Finally, we also like to know your company 's development plans orgoals for next year.
- Frank Arm: I see the market quite stable, probably slightly increasing, and RETORTE will try to follow that situation.
- Asian Metal: Thanks for your time and support for Asian Metal. Wish you every success in your business.
