JAN / FEB 2021
Solvay has exited amphoteric surfactants
IN BRIEF
Solvay in surfactants exit
Solvay has agreed to sell its North American and European amphoteric surfactant business to Los Angeles private equity firm OpenGate Capital . This is expected to close by the end of March , subject to consultation and regulatory approvals . Terms were not disclosed . Michael Radossich , president of Solvay ’ s Novecare global business unit , called this “ another critical step in the execution of our strategic plan as we further focus our home and personal care portfolio on growing specialty formulations and custom solutions ”. The company added that it will invest the proceeds “ in its strategic growth segments as part of its portfolio simplification journey ”. The sale include the three main production sites at University Park , Illinois , Genthin , Germany , and Halifax , UK , plus a tolling business in Turkey . The agreement also covers ongoing
tolling and service agreements to ensure that any customer disruption is minimised . In November 2020 , Solvay agreed to sell its technical-grade barium and strontium business in Germany , Spain and Mexico , plus the sodium percarbonate business in Germany , including a joint venture with Chemical Products Corporation , to Latour Capital . This was also described in terms of portfolio simplification and is also expected to close within Q1 . Solvay further recently announced that it has begun a process of decarbonising its cyclopentanone unit at Melle , France . It has agreed to source all biomethane gas for the next 15 years from a local agricultural cooperative , which has built a facility to convert waste biomass into 18 GWh / year of renewable natural gas . Cyclopentanone is a building block for many fragrance applications , such as methyl dihydro jasmonate jasmine and a range of delta-lactones that are said to offer “ a variety of delicate creamy and fruity notes ”. Solvay commercialises two grades from the site : one for fragrances and an ultrahigh purity version for use as a solvent in the manufacture of semiconductors .
Huntsman buys Gabriel
Huntsman has completed the $ 250 million acquisition of Gabriel Performance Products , a maker of speciality additives and epoxy curing agents for coatings , adhesives , sealants and composites , from Audax Private Equity . Gabriel brings three facilities in Ohio , Pennsylvania and South Carolina . It had sales of about $ 106 million in 2019 .
Thai lab for IMCD
IMCD has opened its latest personal care application Laboratory in Bangkok , Thailand . This will work alongside customer R & D departments on new applications , mostly in skin care , sun care and colour cosmetics , and will carry out comparative studies on product performance , plus stability and application tests .
First phase done
Kemira has completed the first of a two-step capacity expansion in water treatment chemicals in the UK , boosting its aluminium-based product line in Ellesmere Port by more than 30,000 tonnes / year . In the second phase , ferric-based product capacity at Goole will grow to 100,000 tonnes / year by September .
BB adds CCS
LBB Specialties , owner of American International Chemical , Charkit Chemical , Custom Ingredients and Dien , has acquired Florida-based Custom Chemical Services ( CCS ). CSS is a regional distributor of speciality chemicals and ingredients , mainly to the personal care , life sciences and food markets .
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