British Titan Products was the manufacturer of Tioxide, a brand of white yet opaque pigment and whitening agent made from titanium dioxide. It was initially organised to replace titanium dioxide supplies that British paint manufacturers imported from Germany. This British industry was established as a joint venture in 1934 by two of the world's major mining and chemical businesses in conjunction with a major industrial consumer and a distribution business.
Tioxide became a wholly owned Imperial Chemical Industries subsidiary in 1992. Within ICI, now renamed after its principal product Tioxide, the business retained a separate identity, which it lost when sold in 1999 to Huntsman Corporation. In 2014 Huntsman companies, including Tioxide, together formed the world's second-largest producer of titanium dioxide, second to DuPont. This business did not manufacture titanium metal.
Lead poisoning
White lead has been used as a pigment since the 4th century BC, even used in cosmetics, providing a pure white pigment with good coverage. The dangers to those who contacted lead were known but not properly understood, and often, but not always, led to lead poisoning.
Shortly before World War I, the US based National Lead Company told its stockholders it now took special care of its workers. Only adult men were employed, laundry services were provided without charge, and respirators were provided. Shower baths were provided, and the workmen were encouraged to wash before eating. It became generally recognised "lead has no business in the human body". Zinc oxides began to be used for white paints. Many countries banned the use of lead paints inside buildings. By the early 1930s lithopone titanium and zinc oxides were being marketed as non-poisonous.
Lead poisoning's great danger to children was not recognised until the 1940s when it was determined that small quantities which might cause chronic lead poisoning in mature adults could kill children.
British Titan Products
Until 1934 titanium oxide was imported to Britain from Germany. Imperial Smelting Corporation, in association with US companies National Lead Company and its associate Titan Company, and Imperial Chemical Industries and Goodlass Wall and Lead Industries Limited together incorporated British Titan Products in 1933, and immediately began erection of a plant for the manufacture of titanium oxide at Billingham. British Titan Products was incorporated as a private company owned jointly by: Imperial Smelting Corporation Imperial Chemical Industries Goodlass Wall and Lead Industries parent of British Australian Lead Manufacturers renamed 1955 BALM Paints and later Dulux Greeff-Chemicals Holdings distribution Imperial Smelting took a 17 per cent interest. The plant began operating in July 1934 and further expansion was immediately begun. By the end of 1947 production was eight times the rate achieved in 1934.
By 1948 the ownership was: Consolidated Zinc 30.4% ICI 30.4% Lead Industries 30.4% Greeff Chemicals Holdings 8.9%
White pigments for industry
In 1964 with plants in England, Canada, South Africa and Australia and sales in more than 70 different countries British Titan Products was able to advertise that it was the largest producer of titanium pigments in Europe with plants at Billingham and Grimsby, and research laboratories at Stockton. Tioxide pigments were then used in all kinds of paints (in 14 different grades of Tioxide), industrial finishes, floor coverings, plastics and rubber; in addition in artificial textiles, delicate paper and cosmetics particularly soaps. They were also employed in vitreous enamels on whiteware and baths, printing inks and pale leathers and their polishes.
Tioxide International
Between 1956 and 1966 production capacity was lifted from 100,000 tons a year to 162,000 tons. There was now a British labour force of 2,660 and another 1,300 in its Tioxide International plants in Australia (making Austiox), South Africa, Canada, France (Tioxide SA) and Sierra Leone. The factories took supplies from BTP mines around the world.
Plants were added in Calais and Greatham, County Durham and BTP claimed to be the second largest producer of titanium dioxide in the world.
Tioxide Group
British Tita became Tioxide Grou at the beginning of 1976. when its ownership was: ICI 43.6% Lead Industries later Cookson Group and Vesuvius 43.6% Greeff Chemicals Holdings now Federated Chemical Holdings 12.8% later part of International Nickel Company and now known as Vale Canada