Further expansion of the chloride process for titanium dioxide by SCM led to a production capacity of 78, 000 pa by 1986, whilst production capacity via the sulphate process was 31, 000t pa.
2.
In 1980 / 1, in part due to increased energy costs, Laporte announced it was to shut down its 40, 000t titanium dioxide pa sulphate process with the loss of 1, 000 jobs; later reduced to a halving of production.