BASF to divest liquid masterbatch business to Audia International
- BASF to focus on business with solid and powder masterbatches
- Audia to bring on growing liquid segment
Clermont de l’Oise, France – February 19, 2014 – BASF has signed a contract to divest its liquid masterbatch business in Clermont de l’Oise, France, to Audia International, a large global supplier of polyolefins and color masterbatches. The transaction is expected to close in mid 2014.
As a leading supplier of color masterbatches, BASF will concentrate on its business with solid and powder masterbatches, produced in Cologne, Germany. For BASF, the liquid masterbatches are a niche business and not part of its future focus.
For Audia, this acquisition of the liquid masterbatch business is very strategic and represents an exciting expansion in technology, markets, and geography, complementing its major entry into the European market over the past seven years. The liquid masterbatch business will be run as part of Audia’s subsidiary, Uniform Color Company, a leading global supplier of masterbatches, with facilities in North America and Europe.
The parties have agreed not to disclose financial details of the agreement.
About BASF
BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products and crop protection products to oil and gas. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Through science and innovation, we enable our customers in nearly every industry to meet the current and future needs of society. Our products and solutions contribute to conserving resources, ensuring nutrition and improving quality of life. We have summed up this contribution in our corporate purpose: We create chemistry for a sustainable future. BASF had sales of €72.1 billion in 2012 and more than 110,000 employees as of the end of the year. Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.
About Audia International
Audia International is a privately held company focused on plastic compounding, color solutions, and distribution, with a 60 year history of customer focused growth through its subsidiaries: Uniform Color Company, Washington Penn Plastic Co, Inc., and Southern Polymer, Inc. The Audia International companies currently have 10 manufacturing locations and over 1,000 employees in North America and Europe and are doing business in over 50 countries, across broad market platforms including Automotive, Appliance, Construction, Packaging and Consumer.
Further information can be found at:
www.uniformcolor.com
www.washingtonpennplastic.com
www.southernpolymer.com
Media contacts:
BASF SE
Dispersions & Pigments
Philipp Schnorbus
Phone: +49 621 60-49277
Audia International
Tom Stevens
Phone: +1 616 494-7595
P-14-137