The second-biggest acquisition in LANXESS’s history sees the company expanding its range of specialty chemicals for industrial applications.

Specialty chemicals company LANXESS completed the acquisition of Emerald Kalama Chemical on August 3. The US-based company is a world-leading manufacturer of specialty chemicals. LANXESS signed a purchase agreement on February 14, 2021. All required regulatory approvals have been received. LANXESS financed the purchase price of around $1.04 billion (€870 million) from liquid funds.

The second-biggest acquisition in LANXESS’s history sees the company expanding its range of specialty chemicals for industrial applications, especially for the plastics, paints and coatings as well as adhesives industries.

One important addition to the new LANXESS portfolio is the K-Flex range of non-phthalate plasticizers and coalescents for adhesives, coatings, sealants and vinyl applications. K-Flex plasticizers optimise production processes and end-product properties. They are highly compatible with polar polymers in water-based adhesive systems and improve film formation in paints and coatings. During the manufacture of PVC articles, the rapid-gelling dibenzoates can help to speed up processing. “The new products broaden the existing LANXESS range and offers growth opportunities in the area of non-phthalate plasticizers which meet the most modern requirements of the plastics processing industry,” underlines Dr. Thomas Facklam, Head of Global Application Technology in the Polymer Additives business unit.

Other important additions to the overall portfolio for industrial applications include Kalama Vitroflex plasticizers for the manufacture of polysulphide sealants and Modulast modifiers, which were developed for use in reactive polyurethane systems.

Benzoic acid, benzaldehyde and benzoate salts supplement the LANXESS offer in future. These are used as intermediates, building blocks and additives in a number of industrial applications, e.g., for the production of esters, alkyd resins or corrosion inhibitiors.