Dynamic management of the activities portfolio

 

While maintaining a sound financial structure, Arkema is committed to retaining a coherent and balanced portfolio in which most activities hold leadership positions.

In accordance with its announcement to divest assets over a three-year period totalling 300 to 400 million euros of sales, Arkema has sold off its subsidiary Cerexagri, its specialty amines produced at its Riverview facility in the United States, its mineral flocculants, and its urea formaldehyde resins business based at its Leuna site in Germany.

Meanwhile, Arkema is looking to conduct targeted acquisitions totalling 500 to 800 million euros of sales, the aim being to boost the coherence and integration of its activities portfolio. Bringing in high added value activities in one of Arkema’s core businesses, the acquisition of the company Coatex in October 2007 is fully in line with this external growth strategy. Arkema has also announced the acquisition by Altuglas International of the PMMA activities of the Repsol YPF group.

Coatex, Arkema’s new business unit

The Coatex activities offer major synergies with Arkema’s in raw material, process and R&D terms. They also fit in naturally downstream from Arkema’s acrylic monomer production sites in Bayport, United States, and Carling, France.

Coatex manufactures polymers, primarily of acrylic origin, used as dispersants and thickeners. The main outlets of these high-growth specialty chemicals include the paper and paint industries, water treatment, as well as cosmetics and textile manufacture.

www.coatex.com