Clariant divests its Energy Storage business to Johnson Matthey

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Clariant, a world leader in specialty chemicals, has agreed to divest its Business Line Energy Storage to Johnson Matthey Plc, reported the company in its press release.

The total consideration of the sale amounts to USD 75 million at closing which is expected early 2015.

The Energy Storage business of Clariant is the largest hydrothermal Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) producer in the world. The lithium ion cathode material is used in electric vehicles and stationary battery applications. In 2013 the Energy Storage business generated around CHF 16 million in sales. The business employs around 100 employees predominantly in Canada and Germany.

"The divestment of the Energy Storage business with its LFP technology is part of our focused portfolio management and reallocating capital towards our core areas Care Chemicals, Catalysis and Energy, Natural Resources, and Plastics and Coatings," said Hariolf Kottmann, CEO of Clariant.

Robert MacLeod, Chief Executive of Johnson Matthey said: "This acquisition provides us with a strong position in LFP from which to develop a broad portfolio of battery materials. It further strengthens our battery technologies capability which marks an important step in Johnson Matthey’s long term strategy to establish new business areas."

We remind that, as MRC wrote previously, in September 2014, Clariant announced that it had signed a purchase agreement with VitaPac, a Chinese specialist for healthcare packaging. The owner-led company with 80 employees is based in Hong Kong with a production site in Dongguan, China. It had consolidated sales of about CHF 4.0 million in 2013 (USD4.2 million). The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of the fourth quarter of 2014 and subject to regulatory approvals.

Clariant Chemicals (India) Limited and custom color and additive products with production of more than 10,000 color matches which are completed each year. With more than 50 manufacturing plants around the world, Clariant
Masterbatches products, technology and service deliver competitive advantages that foster long-term customer relationships.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Celanese Corporation, a global technology and specialty materials company and a global leader in vinyl acetate ethylene (EVA) emulsions, has announced the launch of its Clarifoil Anti-fog Film for use in architectural, commercial and high-end optical applications, reported the company on its site.

"The world-renowned Glasstec trade fair is an ideal location to launch our Clarifoil Anti-fog Film which offers exceptional clarity to glass and mirrored surfaces in both extreme cold and high-humidity environments," said Lou Purvis, vice president and general manager of the cellulose derivatives business of Celanese. "Attendees will quickly realize that this high performance film offers excellent fog resistance, superior clarity and durability."

Clarifoil Anti-fog Film can be utilized in a wide array of end uses including: architectural applications such as greenhouses, pool enclosures and skylights; commercial applications such as freezer doors and hotel bathroom mirrors; and optical applications such as visors and goggles.

Clarifoil Anti-fog Film is a solid layer of cellulose diacetate film paired with a remarkably clear adhesive. Resistance to fogging is inherent in the cellulose diacetate material whereby moisture can pass into the film, where it can then dissipate; the result is the longer-lasting anti-fog effect. Most other anti-fog films offer only a coated surface, and once it washes, wears or scratches away, the anti-fog properties are gone.

Clarifoil film also offers resistance to most standard window cleaners and will not be degraded by ultraviolet rays. In addition, the film is easy to apply with the correct tools.

As MRC wrote before, in April 2014, Celanese Corporation announced that it had developed new emulsion products for architectural paints. The company also expanded its product portfolio for the coatings and adhesives industries, including Celansese's solvents, vinyl acetate monomer, EVA polymers and emulsions.

Celanese Corporation is a global technology leader in the production of differentiated chemistry solutions and specialty materials used in most major industries and consumer applications. Based in Dallas, Texas, Celanese employs approximately 7,400 employees worldwide and had 2013 net sales of USD6.5 billion.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) - Private equity firms are circling Bayer's 10 billion-euro (USD12.7 billion) plastics business, hoping to divert the German drugmaker from its plan to list the division, said Reuters.

Advent, Carlyle, Cinven, CVC and KKR are among those eyeing MaterialScience after Bayer said in September that it planned to spin off the division through a stock market listing, helping it focus on its more profitable life sciences business.

Given the size of the asset, the funds are also in discussions to form consortia, potentially with investors including sovereign wealth funds (SWFs).

"All the SWFs and pension funds are being drafted in," one of the sources said.

Bayer, Advent, Carlyle and KKR declined to comment. CVC and Cinven were not immediately available to comment. The sources added that funds may wait until Bayer publishes full-year results next February before deciding on a bid.

Bayer MaterialScience's products include panoramic roofs for expensive cars, transparent plastics for blu-ray discs and chemicals for insulation.

However market conditions for initial public offerings (IPOs) have weakened in recent weeks, forcing a number of companies to pull their listings and potentially heightening the attractiveness of a sale to private equity firms eager to deploy large pools of unused capital.

Equinet analysts have valued MaterialScience at almost 10 billion euros, while brokerage DZ Bank has said it is worth about 11 billion euros including debt.

The division, which has been hit by big increases in raw materials costs, has profit margins of less than half the average across the Bayer group. Shares hit record highs after the corporation declared its intention to spin off the business in the next 12-18 months.

MaterialScience generated adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of 1.2 billion euros in the 12 months to June, 14% of the group total.

As MRC wrote before, Bayer MaterialScience expands technology and production by investing in a new ultra-modern technical centre for polyurethane foams and new production plant for coating raw materials. The total investment in both is more than EUR 45 million.

With 2013 sales of EUR 11.2 billion, Bayer MaterialScience is among the world’s largest polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, electrical and electronics, construction and the sports and leisure industries. At the end of 2013, Bayer MaterialScience had 30 production sites and employed approximately 14,300 people around the globe. Bayer MaterialScience is a Bayer Group company.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Mexican chemical and petrochemical company Mexichem reported net income of USD52.8mn in the third quarter, compared to a net loss of USD62.8mn in the year-ago period, said Bnamericas.

"This increase was primarily due to the impact of discontinued operations in the fluor chain on 3Q13 results," according to a company statement.

Net sales were up 8% year-on-year to USD1.429bn, boosted by the performance of resins, compounds and derivatives and integral solutions.

In January-September, net income jumped 80% year-on-year to USD152mn from USD84mn. Sales rose 8% to USD4.212bn. South America accounted for 30% of the company's total sales in the third quarter.

As MRC wrote before, Mexichem announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire Dura-Line Corp. from CHS Capital for a total of USD630 million in cash and assumed liabilities, advancing Mexichem’s strategy of global growth in high-end specialty products. Based in Knoxville, Tennessee, Dura-Line is a global leader in high-density polyethylene (HDPE) conduit, duct and pressure-pipe solutions for telecom and data communications, energy and infrastructure industries. Dura-Line has manufacturing facilities in North America, India, Oman, Europe, and South Africa.

Mexichem, of Tlalnepantla, an industrial municipality close to Mexico City, is Latin America’s largest manufacturer of PVC pipe, vinyl resins and compounds. Neither it nor SVP mentioned when they expected the deal to be completed.
New York investment banking firm Jefferies LLC advised SVP. JP Morgan Chase & Co was Mexichem’s adviser.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Turkish authorities have filed an anti-dumping suit against polypropylene film exports from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, India, and China, reported Daily News with reference to Chemical & Fertilisers Export Council member Magdy Abu Fath's statement.

He added that this decision has taken into consideration the political situation.

Abu Fath claimed that Egypt’s production of polypropylene amounts to 432,000 tonnes, which represents a small amount that does not pose a threat to local Turkish production. Studies will also be conducted on technical lapses on Turkey’s part as well as a comparison of the prices of Egyptian products compared to the cost of their production.

Chairman of the Chemical & Fertilisers Export Council Waleed Helal confirmed the existence of an Egyptian export crisis. The situation has particularly affected chemical exports as a result of political circumstances in the Arab world, stating that exports to the markets of Libya, Iraq, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemen have ceased, in addition to Turkey, which alone accounts for one-fourth of the Egyptian chemical exports.

Helal expressed his concern over the challenges faced by exports in Egypt, adding that it is important to look for alternative markets like Russia, following the agreement between the Egyptian and the Russian parties on the importance of encouraging trading and economic relations between the countries.

During a meeting of the Chemical & Fertilisers Export Council held on Sunday Helal stated that, although chemical exports represent Egypt’s most important exports over the past eight years, as they have generated only EGP 20bn in revenues over the first eight months of 2014, it will be impossible for Egyptian chemical exports to achieve the targeted EGP 33bn in profits.

He said that chemical exports declined by 3% between January and August of this year, while the chemical exports growth rate declined by 16% in August 2014 compared to the same month in 2013.

As MRC informed earlier, in early 2013, in a move to preserve its public interest, Egypt lifted anti-dumping fees on PP imports from Saudi Arabia after a prior investigation of the matter.

The investigation on protective measures and anti-dumping fees imposed on Saudi imports due to claims that they are damaging its industry has been conducting by Egypt since April, Prince Salman said, according to state-run Saudi Press Agency, or SPA. The results of the investigation showed that the damage was caused by other factors and that the measures against Saudi imports were not in interest of the Egyptian public.
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