Page 52 - Plastics News October 2019

BUSINESS NEWS

W.R. Grace & Co. licenses PolyOne in talks to buy Clariant

UNIPOL PP Process technology masterbatch unit

to BPCL
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.R. Grace & Co., an American Pmasterbatch unit, according to a Bloomberg
:chemical conglomerate News report quoting unnamed sources.Clariant wants
based in Columbia, has licensed DERXW ELOOLRQ IRU WKH EXVLQHVV DFFRUGLQJ WR
its UNIPOL Polypropylene (PP) WKH %ORRPEHUJ UHSRUW &ODULDQW DQG 3RO\2QH RIÀFLDOV
declined to comment to Bloomberg. There is "no
Process technology to Bharat certainty" that the talks will lead to a deal, according
Petroleum Corporation Limited to the report.A source close to one of the companies
(BPCL). Located in Rasayani said that a deal with PolyOne makes sense, but that
near Mumbai in Maharashtra, private equity buyers may also be interested in the
India, the proposed world-scale &ODULDQW EXVLQHVV 7KH\ GRQ W KDYH WKH V\QHUJ\ RI WKH
capacity UNIPOL PP facility company already in the business, so they might not be
will produce 450,000 m tpa of willing to pay as much as PolyOne," the source said. A
propylene. BPCL intends to manufacture phthalate-free deal with PolyOne makes sense since the Avon Lake,
polymer products for the Indian market using the most Ohio-based company is in the process of selling its PVC
advanced PP process and catalysts technology available. FRPSRXQGLQJ EXVLQHVV WR 6. &DSLWDO 3DUWQHUV IRU
Grace’s all gas-phase UNIPOL PP Process Technology million in cash. That deal is scheduled to close by the
provides the broadest range of PP homopolymers, random end of 2019. A PolyOne-Clariant deal would be subject
copolymers, and impact copolymers in the industry. This to scrutiny for antitrust issues, since both companies
process technology has no moving parts inside of the are major players in the plastics masterbatch market.
reactor and requires less equipment than any alternative. Clariant, which is based in Muttenz, Switzerland,
It is a reliable, safe, and stable operation that leads has been trying to sell its additives and masterbatch
to lower capital, operating, and maintenance costs. EXVLQHVV DQG FRQFHQWUDWH LQVWHDG RQ LWV PRUH SURÀWDEOH
pharmaceutical business. Although discussions with
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“Investing in the UNIPOL PP process technology gives us the interest from other companies too, including private
ability to make a broad range of phthalate-free products equity investors, the sources added.If PolyOne buys the
for our customers. As the demand for these advanced PP business, it would become a world leading supplier of
products increases in the region, BPCL wants to ensure color concentrates for plastics. In July, talks fell apart
that it is using the most up-to-date, reliable, and cost-
effective technology to meet our customers’ needs.”
Laura Schwinn, President of Grace’s Specialty Catalysts
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combined with our non-phthalate CONSISTA catalysts, will
enable BPCL to give their customers the edge they seek in
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catalyst technology and has the broadest portfolio of
polyolefin catalyst technologies of any independent WR FRPELQH &ODULDQW V DGGLWLYH DQG PDVWHUEDWFK EXVLQHVV
polyethylene/polypropylene catalyst producer. Recently ZLWK SDUW RI 6DXGL %DVLF ,QGXVWULHV &RUS V HQJLQHHULQJ
Grace has licensed its UNIPOL® PP Process Technology to resins business. At the time, the companies said plans
PetroChina Guangdong Petrochemical Company Limited. for the joint venture had been shelved due to "current
The new china facility is slated to be completed in 2023 market conditions," and could be picked up at a later
and will produce 500 KTA of polypropylene. stage with a different scope.

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