MOSCOW (MRC) -- Solvay and Composites One have entered an exclusive negotiation period for the acquisition of Solvay’s Process Materials (PM) business by Composites One, said the company.
The PM business provides a broad array of vacuum bagging materials including bagging films, breather fabrics, release films and fabrics, peel plies, sealant tapes plus valves and hoses. Additionally, the business is a leader in the manufacture of tailored consumable kits and hard and soft tooling.
Carmelo Lo Faro, president of Solvay Composite Materials Global Business Unit, said: “Solvay has significantly strengthened the Process Materials business over the last several years. The proposed transaction will deliver value for our shareholders and enable Solvay to continue focusing on our core composites technology portfolio. The Process Materials employees and customers will greatly benefit from this business being part of Composites One’s established and recognized distribution infrastructure. Composites One’s intent is to grow and invest in the business, fostering innovation, reliability and customer service and building on the excellent work our teammates have done so far."
"As their distributor for over two years, we have worked closely with Solvay’s knowledgeable leadership and team members and have seen their focus on serving customers – we know this business is an excellent addition to Composites One. Through their outstanding team, the Process Materials business provides us with a global connection to wind and aerospace customers,” commented Steve Dehmlow, CEO of Composites One.
The completion of the transaction, expected early Q1, would remain subject to following social processes and approval by the relevant regulatory authorities.
As MRC informed earlier, Solvay SA said it will close two plants making composites for Airbus SE and Boeing Co. in a sign the deepening aerospace crisis is hitting suppliers of even the latest aircraft materials. The Belgian chemical maker is adding to savings achieved in the past year following the grounding of Boeing’s 737 Max. The latest measures from Solvay Chief Executive Officer Ilham Kadri will lead to about 570 job cuts, or 20% of the workforce in Solvay’s composites unit.
As MRC reported earlier, in August, 2020, through the acquisition of the Solvay polyamide (PA) business, BASF enhanced its R&D capabilities in Asia Pacific with new technologies, technical expertise, and upgraded material and part testing services. BASF is planning to integrate the R&D centers from Solvay into its R&D existing facilities in Shanghai, China, and Seoul, Korea. The enhanced capabilities will boost BASF’s position as a solution provider to develop advanced material solutions for key industries.
We remind that BASF-YPC, a 50-50 joint venture of BASF and Sinopec, undertook a planned shutdown at its naphtha cracker on 30 April 2020. The company initially planned to start turnaround at the cracker on April 5, 2020. The plant remained under maintenance unitl 18 June, 2020. Located in Jiangsu, China, the cracker has an ethylene capacity of 750,000 mt/year and propylene capacity of 400,000 mt/year.
Ethylene and propylene are feedstocks for producing polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP).
According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,594,510 tonnes in the first nine months of 2020, up by 1% year on year. Only high denstiy polyethylene (HDPE) shipments increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market reached 880,130 tonnes in the nine months of 2020 (calculated using the formula: production minus exports plus imports, exluding producers' inventories as of 1 January, 2020). Supply increased exclusively of PP random copolymer.
Solvay S.A. is a Belgian chemical company, one of the largest in Europe and the world with a market share of 27%, is the second largest PVC producer and the fourth largest caustic soda producer in Europe. The company's activities are concentrated in two main areas - the chemical sector (plastics production) and the pharmaceutical sector.
MRC