Speciality chemicals manufacturer Solenis has agreed to buy cleaning, infection prevention and hygiene giant Diversey. The $4.6 billion all-cash deal should be completed in 2H, subject to approval by Diversey shareholders, and will remove Diversey from public ownership. Both boards have backed it.
An EU-wide project by ECHA’s Enforcement Forum carried out in 2021 has found that most users of substances of commonly controlled very high concern (SVHCs), mainly SMEs, already comply with the authorisation requirement to control risks.
The authorities of all 28 member countries undertook 690 inspections at 516 companies, mostly SVHCs. The most common SVHCs checked were chromium trioxide and strontium chromate, which are used mainly in surface treatment and chrome plating.
Bachem has signed a new framework agreement to provide large volumes of peptides to an unnamed customer following a joint development project. This covers “a committed volume at an equivalent value of over CHF 500 million for the five-year period of 2027-2031, with significant upside potential,” the company said.
This follows recent deals a previous large-volume contract for another unnamed customer worth CHF 175 million in 2023-4. The deal was announced in September 2022 and subsequently upgraded with a further work order for a minimum total of CHF 1 billion from 2025 to 2029.
Cabot has announced plans for a new technology centre in Münster, Germany, which will focus on technical collaboration with customers on its battery material product lines for electric vehicles (EVs). This is due to begin operations by April 2023, with a planned expansion to be completed in 2024.
SK Capital subsidiary Archroma has closed the acquisition of the Singapore-based Huntsman Textile Effects business. Described as a merger of equals, this will create a company over 5,000 employees in 42 countries and 35 production sites. Archroma also announced a split into two operating divisions, each focused on a separate end market.
BASF is to invest in a new citral plant at its verbund site in Zhanjiang, China. This will bring its global capacity to 118,000 tonnes/year when it comes onstream in 2026 onwards. The company is also expanding its downstream menthol and linalool plants at Ludwigshafen. This all comes in response to growing demand for aroma ingredients in the flavours and fragrances markets.
The Airedale Group has acquired McCann Chemicals, including its Hunter Chemicals and McCann Food & Nutrition subsidiaries. Both firms are UK-based. This is Airedale’s third acquisition since 2015. McCann Chemicals, which is 50 years old this year, will continue to operate independently.
