Two Western players , Italy ’ s Italmatch Chemicals and Colonial Chemicals of the US , have recently signed investment plans that will see them manufacturing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ( KSA ) for the wider Gulf region . Terms were not disclosed in either case . Together with Biolab Arabia , Genoa-based Italmatch has created a 60-40 joint venture called Italmatch Biolab Industrial , at Al-Jubail . This will make performance additives for applications in water and process treatment , and the oil and gas sector , with a focus on thermal and membrane-based desalination . Italmatch has already been working in Saudi Arabia for several years . The company said that it is now “ strengthening its presence in the local market by establishing a fully integrated phosphorus chemistry in KSA and consolidating its leadership in desalination solutions through local production ”. The aim here , said CEO Sergio Iorio , “ is to develop and complete a full manufacturing chain starting from Maaden ’ s phosphate rock to final downstream additives for industrial water and process end market applications ”. Biolab ’ s parent , the Al-Hejailan Group , already has two manufacturing units in the same plant , making over 80,000 tonnes / year of water treatment and emulsion polymers . Meanwhile , construction has started at a Colonial Chemical M . E . Arabia , a new speciality chemicals plant at Dammam . This is a joint venture by Colonial Chemical , which is providing the technology and operations knowledge , with Saudi firms Sadeem Investments and Earth ’ s Reservoir for Oil & Gas . The facility will mainly supply speciality surfactants and other chemicals , including amine oxides , quaternary ammonium compounds , hydroxypropyl sultaines , betaines , propionates , ether carboxylates , imidazolines , phosphate esters , EPI sulfonates , and phosphates , from locally sourced raw materials . Applications include oilfield , industrial lubricants , water treatment , paper , paints , coatings , personal care , household care and industrial cleaning . The plant will also offer toll blending and manufacturing capability for finished formulations and custom chemicals , something which David Anderson , president of Colonial Chemical , called “ a highly desirable function in this market ”. Start-up is expected in Q4 .
Krahn is headquartered in Hamburg
Krahn buys stakes in six
Hamburg-based chemical distributor Krahn Chemie has bought majority stakes in six companies from Jollis & Partners of Sweden . This follows the acquisition of InterActive in Greece in 2020 . Head of M & A Axel Sebbesse said that this “ represents another important step for the Krahn Chemie Group to sustainably secure its future and further strengthen its position as a pan-European distributor ”. Four of the six are headquartered in Gothenburg , Sweden , and Krahn has established a new subsidiary , Krahn Nordics , to bundle them together . Chatarina Schneider , their former managing director , has been named to head this operation . They are :
• AmphoChem , a distributor of industrial chemicals , additives and speciality chemicals in the Nordic region , the Baltic States and Iceland
• Pemco Additives , a distributor to the fuels , lubricants and petrochemical industries in the same regions
• Temper Technology , which produces heat transfer fluids and antifreeze products
• BGM Logistics , which offers warehousing , third party logistics and distribution services in Sweden In addition , Krahn has acquired stakes in two regional Pemco operations : Pemco-Trigueros Additives Spain of Alicante , which distributes additives and base oils for use in fuels and industrial and automotive formulations in Spain ; and Petrico a UK distributor of petroleum and chemical products specialised in the lubricants and additives industries .
14 SPECIALITY CHEMICALS MAGAZINE ESTABLISHED 1981