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Albany acquires Texas Composite
Industry news
IN BRIEF DuPont is carrying out an expansion project at its Maydown, Northern Ireland, site to increase capacity of its KEVLAR® aramid fibre (www. kevlar.com). The new capacity is scheduled to come on stream in 2006. According to Jeroen B. Jacobs, business manager for the Kevlar Life Protection business in Europe, Middle East and Africa, global demand for Kevlar has soared with the need for safety and security worldwide. Sherwood RTM Corp, Louisville, Ohio, USA, has been certified to the ISO 9001:2000 International Quality Standard System. The firm (www.sherwoodcorp.com) designs advanced composite products for the aerospace, communications, defence, and other industries.
Ciba sees improvements SWISS plastics additives supplier Ciba Specialty Chemicals reports sales for 2005 of Swiss francs (CHF) 7.4 billion, up 6% in Swiss francs and 4% in local currencies. Asia Pacific now represents 29% of the group’s sales. Sales growth in both mainland China and India was double digit. Sales in Europe were higher, mainly due to an acquisition, and flat in the Americas. The Plastic Additives and Water & Paper Treatment sectors showed ‘substantially above average’ increases. Business conditions in 2006 are expected to remain similar to those in 2005. Ciba; www.cibasc.com
Ameron reports record sales for 2005 AMERON International Corp, Pasadena, California, USA, reports record sales from consolidated operations of around US$704.6 million and record net income of $32.6 million for its 2005 fiscal year (which ended 30 November 2005). Its Fiberglass-Composite Pipe Group also achieved record sales and income in 2005. Ameron says the pipe group’s higher sales (compared to 2004), were mainly a result of increased demand for onshore oilfield piping (primarily in the USA and Canada), continued strength in the marine market, and growth in industrial applications in the Middle East, supplied from Ameron operations in Singapore and Malaysia.
Industrial market demand in the USA and Europe was soft, it says, but the US fuel-handling market showed steady growth, mainly because of new industry requirements. Construction of a new composite pipe plant in Malaysia has been completed and production is scheduled to start in the second quarter of 2006. The order backlog for the pipe group is said to be high and the outlook for the business is good. Ameron expects to be particular strength in the marine, offshore and oilfield markets worldwide. Ameron International Corp; www.ameron.com
Albany acquires Texas Composite ALBANY International Techniweave Inc, based in Rochester, New Hampshire, USA, has agreed to buy all the shares of Texas Composite Inc, Boerne, Texas, for around US$15 million in cash. The two companies will be merged to form Albany Engineered Composites by mid2006. Albany is a manufacturer of textile reinforcements and preforms, while Texas Composite specialises in the design, tooling and high-volume production of composite structures for aerospace applications.
12
REINFORCEDplastics
February 2006
The purchase is subject to final due diligence and is expected to be completed in two separate transactions, the first by the end of January, and the second before the end of the year. Adair McOran-Campbell, president of Texas Composite, founded the company in 1986 and plans to remain involved in the business. Albany International Techniweave; www.albint.com/techniweave Texas Composite, www.texascomposite.com
IN BRIEF DuPont is carrying out an expansion project at its Maydown, Northern Ireland, site to increase capacity of its KEVLAR® aramid fibre (www. kevlar.com). The new capacity is scheduled to come on stream in 2006. According to Jeroen B. Jacobs, business manager for the Kevlar Life Protection business in Europe, Middle East and Africa, global demand for Kevlar has soared with the need for safety and security worldwide. Sherwood RTM Corp, Louisville, Ohio, USA, has been certified to the ISO 9001:2000 International Quality Standard System. The firm (www.sherwoodcorp.com) designs advanced composite products for the aerospace, communications, defence, and other industries.
Ciba sees improvements SWISS plastics additives supplier Ciba Specialty Chemicals reports sales for 2005 of Swiss francs (CHF) 7.4 billion, up 6% in Swiss francs and 4% in local currencies. Asia Pacific now represents 29% of the group’s sales. Sales growth in both mainland China and India was double digit. Sales in Europe were higher, mainly due to an acquisition, and flat in the Americas. The Plastic Additives and Water & Paper Treatment sectors showed ‘substantially above average’ increases. Business conditions in 2006 are expected to remain similar to those in 2005. Ciba; www.cibasc.com
Ameron reports record sales for 2005 AMERON International Corp, Pasadena, California, USA, reports record sales from consolidated operations of around US$704.6 million and record net income of $32.6 million for its 2005 fiscal year (which ended 30 November 2005). Its Fiberglass-Composite Pipe Group also achieved record sales and income in 2005. Ameron says the pipe group’s higher sales (compared to 2004), were mainly a result of increased demand for onshore oilfield piping (primarily in the USA and Canada), continued strength in the marine market, and growth in industrial applications in the Middle East, supplied from Ameron operations in Singapore and Malaysia.
Industrial market demand in the USA and Europe was soft, it says, but the US fuel-handling market showed steady growth, mainly because of new industry requirements. Construction of a new composite pipe plant in Malaysia has been completed and production is scheduled to start in the second quarter of 2006. The order backlog for the pipe group is said to be high and the outlook for the business is good. Ameron expects to be particular strength in the marine, offshore and oilfield markets worldwide. Ameron International Corp; www.ameron.com
Albany acquires Texas Composite ALBANY International Techniweave Inc, based in Rochester, New Hampshire, USA, has agreed to buy all the shares of Texas Composite Inc, Boerne, Texas, for around US$15 million in cash. The two companies will be merged to form Albany Engineered Composites by mid2006. Albany is a manufacturer of textile reinforcements and preforms, while Texas Composite specialises in the design, tooling and high-volume production of composite structures for aerospace applications.
12
REINFORCEDplastics
February 2006
The purchase is subject to final due diligence and is expected to be completed in two separate transactions, the first by the end of January, and the second before the end of the year. Adair McOran-Campbell, president of Texas Composite, founded the company in 1986 and plans to remain involved in the business. Albany International Techniweave; www.albint.com/techniweave Texas Composite, www.texascomposite.com