Arkema to acquire Coatex

Arkema has announced plans to acquire the Coatex group, a company currently wholly owned by the Omya Group.

Coatex manufactures mainly acrylic based specialty polymers that are used as dispersants and thickeners. The main end markets of these high growth specialty chemical activities include paper, paint, water treatment, cosmetics and textiles.

With its headquarters and largest site in Genay, near Lyon, France, Coatex employs 300 people around the world and reported sales of €150m in 2006.

‘This first acquisition is fully part of our strategy to refocus Arkema on its strongest product lines,’ said Thierry Le Hénaff, Arkema Chairman and CEO. ‘It will reinforce the integration of our portfolio, helping Arkema to become more resilient to economic cycles.’

The project follows the recent announcement of the divestment of non-strategic assets, in particular agrochemicals and urea formaldehyde resins.