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US: ATC Plastics – masterbatch
FOCUS microspheres consist of a thermoplastic polymer shell filled with a gas. Neither the identity of the polymer nor the identity of the gas have been revealed by AkzoNobel. When the microspheres are heated, the thermoplastic shell softens and the pressure of the gas rises, resulting in a dramatic increase – by a factor of more than 50 – in the volume of the spheres. Now, AkzoNobel is spending €30 M to increase capacity for making Expancel microspheres, at the same time as improving eco-efficiency here and implementing various process upgrades. Mr Rob Frohn and Mr Ruud Josten (of AkzoNobel) commented: “We are the leading provider of expandable microsphere solutions worldwide. As we continue to find new applications for Expancel, we are becoming even more competitive in the marketplace. Hence the need to increase capacity.” At present, major applications for Expancel include: fillers for vehicle bodywork, injection-moulded PVC soles for footwear, tennis balls and wine bottle corks. Press Release from: AkzoNobel, Strawinskylaan 2555 PO Box 75730, 1070 AS Amsterdam, Netherlands. Website: http://www.akzonobel.com (6 Apr 2011)
US: ATC Plastics – masterbatch ATC Plastics LLC has committed about $1 M for the addition of a new extrusion line at its Houston, TX plant, which will be designed to produce black and white masterbatches. The new line should be installed over the next 12-18 months. The plant will then have a total capacity of 27,200 tonnes/y. Plastics News, 15 Mar 2011, (Website: http://www.plasticsnews.com)
COMPANIES Krahn to sell all Sachtleben’s pigments in German & Austrian paint sector Sachtleben Chemie has entrusted to Krahn Chemie the entire sales and distribution of its pigments to customers in the German and Austrian paint and coatings industry. Sachtleben (headquartered in
MAY 2011
ON
PIGMENTS
Duisburg, Germany) is the world’s largest supplier of lithopone, zinc sulfide and barium sulfate pigments. It is also the sixth largest supplier of TiO2 pigments, with a capacity of 240,000 tonnes/y derived from plants in Germany and Finland. Krahn Chemie is part of the Hamburg-based Otto Krahn group, which specialises in marketing and distribution of a number of chemical raw materials and speciality chemicals supplied by various internationally renowned companies, including: Arkema, Byk, Celanese, DowCorning, Eastman, Eliokem and Kumho. Krahn has a particularly strong customer base in the paint, plastic and rubber industries. Krahn has been selling Sachtleben’s TiO2 products (Sachtleben rutile, Hombitan anatase and UV-Titan nanoparticulate grades) for several years. Effective as from 1 January 2011, Krahn has also taken on marketing responsibilty for Sachtleben’s lithopone and blanc fixe, as well as its Sachtosperse barium sulfate range and Sachtolith zinc sulfide range. Mr Jari Airola (of Sachtleben) said: “Market demands continually confront us with new challenges. We have, in Krahn Chemie, a highly qualified and technologically extremely capable marketing partner which, thanks to its closeness to the paints and coatings industry, will continue into the future to assist us in generating valuable customer benefits and sustainable growth.” Farbe und Lack, Feb 2011, 117 (2), 13 (Website: http://www.farbeundlack.de/) (in German)
Polymer Chemie acquires Winter Polymer Chemie (of Bad Sobernheim, 65 km southwest of Mainz) has acquired Masterbatch Winter Herstellungs & Vertriebs GmbH (of Mühlheim-am-Main, 15 km east of Frankfurt). Polymer Chemie is best known as a manufacturer of plastic compounds. Masterbatch Winter specialises in colour masterbatches, particularly those suitable for use with engineering polymers and polyolefins. Winter also offers an innovative range of colour masterbatches based on renewable raw materials for use in injection-moulded and extrusion
products, which can be composted after use. Kunststoffe, Feb 2011, 101 (2), 8 (Website: http://www.kunststoffe-international.com/) (in German)
Rhone Capital buys Evonik Carbon Black for €900 M Rhone Capital LLC has agreed to purchase Evonik Carbon Black GmbH for about €900 M, including the assumption of certain obligations and debts. Evonik Carbon Black (formerly Degussa) was officially registered as a separate entity on 1 July 2010, this marking the first stage in its demerger from Evonik Industries AG (formerly the Ruhrkohle/RAG group) (see also ‘Focus on Pigments”, Nov 2010, 5). Evonik’s Executive Board officially confirmed last September its intention to sell off its carbon black business and the sale process began in November. The RP Goenka group (of India) and One Equity Partners (OEP, of New York) – both of which already owned carbon black assets – had shown interest in acquiring Evonik’s business, but they were not named in the final shortlist of bidders. In the end, the shortlist consisted of three investment groups – Advent, Triton and Rhone Capital. Rhone Capital’s headquarters are in New York and the group also has offices in London and Paris. It was founded in 1996 and has until now specialised in middle-market leveraged buy-outs, recapitalisations and partnership financing. Evonik Carbon Black reported earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) at €150 M on sales revenues of €1.2 bn for 2010. It has 17 carbon black plants in 12 different countries, with a total capacity of 1.4 M tonnes/y. Evonik Carbon Black employs 1650 people, of which 500 are based in Germany. The transaction is subject to approval from the relevant anti-trust authorities, which should be forthcoming during the Summer of 2011. Press Release from: Evonik Industries AG, Rellinghauser Strasse 1-11, D-45128, Essen, Germany. Website: http://www.evonik.com (17 Apr 2011) & Handelsblatt Wirtschafts & Finanzzeitung, 14 & 18 Apr 2011 (Website: http://www.handelsblatt.com) (in German)
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US: ATC Plastics – masterbatch ATC Plastics LLC has committed about $1 M for the addition of a new extrusion line at its Houston, TX plant, which will be designed to produce black and white masterbatches. The new line should be installed over the next 12-18 months. The plant will then have a total capacity of 27,200 tonnes/y. Plastics News, 15 Mar 2011, (Website: http://www.plasticsnews.com)
COMPANIES Krahn to sell all Sachtleben’s pigments in German & Austrian paint sector Sachtleben Chemie has entrusted to Krahn Chemie the entire sales and distribution of its pigments to customers in the German and Austrian paint and coatings industry. Sachtleben (headquartered in
MAY 2011
ON
PIGMENTS
Duisburg, Germany) is the world’s largest supplier of lithopone, zinc sulfide and barium sulfate pigments. It is also the sixth largest supplier of TiO2 pigments, with a capacity of 240,000 tonnes/y derived from plants in Germany and Finland. Krahn Chemie is part of the Hamburg-based Otto Krahn group, which specialises in marketing and distribution of a number of chemical raw materials and speciality chemicals supplied by various internationally renowned companies, including: Arkema, Byk, Celanese, DowCorning, Eastman, Eliokem and Kumho. Krahn has a particularly strong customer base in the paint, plastic and rubber industries. Krahn has been selling Sachtleben’s TiO2 products (Sachtleben rutile, Hombitan anatase and UV-Titan nanoparticulate grades) for several years. Effective as from 1 January 2011, Krahn has also taken on marketing responsibilty for Sachtleben’s lithopone and blanc fixe, as well as its Sachtosperse barium sulfate range and Sachtolith zinc sulfide range. Mr Jari Airola (of Sachtleben) said: “Market demands continually confront us with new challenges. We have, in Krahn Chemie, a highly qualified and technologically extremely capable marketing partner which, thanks to its closeness to the paints and coatings industry, will continue into the future to assist us in generating valuable customer benefits and sustainable growth.” Farbe und Lack, Feb 2011, 117 (2), 13 (Website: http://www.farbeundlack.de/) (in German)
Polymer Chemie acquires Winter Polymer Chemie (of Bad Sobernheim, 65 km southwest of Mainz) has acquired Masterbatch Winter Herstellungs & Vertriebs GmbH (of Mühlheim-am-Main, 15 km east of Frankfurt). Polymer Chemie is best known as a manufacturer of plastic compounds. Masterbatch Winter specialises in colour masterbatches, particularly those suitable for use with engineering polymers and polyolefins. Winter also offers an innovative range of colour masterbatches based on renewable raw materials for use in injection-moulded and extrusion
products, which can be composted after use. Kunststoffe, Feb 2011, 101 (2), 8 (Website: http://www.kunststoffe-international.com/) (in German)
Rhone Capital buys Evonik Carbon Black for €900 M Rhone Capital LLC has agreed to purchase Evonik Carbon Black GmbH for about €900 M, including the assumption of certain obligations and debts. Evonik Carbon Black (formerly Degussa) was officially registered as a separate entity on 1 July 2010, this marking the first stage in its demerger from Evonik Industries AG (formerly the Ruhrkohle/RAG group) (see also ‘Focus on Pigments”, Nov 2010, 5). Evonik’s Executive Board officially confirmed last September its intention to sell off its carbon black business and the sale process began in November. The RP Goenka group (of India) and One Equity Partners (OEP, of New York) – both of which already owned carbon black assets – had shown interest in acquiring Evonik’s business, but they were not named in the final shortlist of bidders. In the end, the shortlist consisted of three investment groups – Advent, Triton and Rhone Capital. Rhone Capital’s headquarters are in New York and the group also has offices in London and Paris. It was founded in 1996 and has until now specialised in middle-market leveraged buy-outs, recapitalisations and partnership financing. Evonik Carbon Black reported earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) at €150 M on sales revenues of €1.2 bn for 2010. It has 17 carbon black plants in 12 different countries, with a total capacity of 1.4 M tonnes/y. Evonik Carbon Black employs 1650 people, of which 500 are based in Germany. The transaction is subject to approval from the relevant anti-trust authorities, which should be forthcoming during the Summer of 2011. Press Release from: Evonik Industries AG, Rellinghauser Strasse 1-11, D-45128, Essen, Germany. Website: http://www.evonik.com (17 Apr 2011) & Handelsblatt Wirtschafts & Finanzzeitung, 14 & 18 Apr 2011 (Website: http://www.handelsblatt.com) (in German)
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