December 8 2017, David R Brown
Univar acquires Kemetyl Industrial Chemicals to enhance its position as a leading distributor in the Nordic region
Univar Inc. has announced it is to acquire Kemetyl Industrial Chemicals, a division of the Kemetyl Group, through its wholly owned subsidiaries in Sweden (Univar AB) and Norway (Univar AS). Kemetyl Industrial Chemicals generates annual revenues of approximately USD 30 million and is one of the largest suppliers of industrial grade alcohols in the Nordic region as well as providing bulk and specialty chemicals, such as isopropanol, glycols, metal salts, minerals and polyacrylamides. The acquisition is expected to close in early 2018.
The demand for sustainable development in the chemical industry is greater than ever and a true circular responsibility is the future of chemical and ingredient distribution
Steve Newlin
Chairman and CEO of Univar
“The Nordic region is at the forefront of global R&D when it comes to life sciences, which makes this agreement a smart and strategic move to build our customer base and enhance our market expertise. This acquisition will allow Univar to expand its leading position in pharma and strengthen its expertise in water treatment,” said Steve Newlin, Univar's chairman and chief executive officer. “The demand for sustainable development in the chemical industry is greater than ever and a true circular responsibility is the future of chemical and ingredient distribution. Kemetyl's commitment to offering recycled products and reducing greenhouse gas emissions is in-step with Univar's global commit”
“We are very satisfied with the development of Kemetyl Industrial Chemicals over the past several years. In our ambition to further focus our business around consumer chemicals, this divestiture is a logical step to ensure that our industrial customers continue to get the level of service and expertise they deserve,”" says Ketil Stave, Kemetyl Group's chairman of the board.
In recent years Kemetyl has shifted its focus away from being a distributor that delivered mainly commodities from point to point. The Company's model now includes a more diversified portfolio of sustainable products with 4 own production sites and several contractor sites. Kemetyl targets segments where technical sales, industry expertise and value-added services are highly regarded and often requested by customers.
About Univar
Founded in 1924, Univar (NYSE: UNVR) is a global chemical and ingredients distributor and provider of value-added services, working with leading suppliers worldwide. Supported by a comprehensive team of sales and technical professionals with deep specialty and market expertise, Univar operates hundreds of distribution facilities throughout North America, Western Europe, Asia-Pacific and Latin America. In 2016, Univar reported reveues of $8.1 billion.
About Kemetyl Industrial Chemicals
Kemetyl Industrial Chemicals is among the leading distributors of chemical products in the Nordic region and one of the largest suppliers of industrial grade alcohols in the region, including Sekundol, the division's own brand. Sekundol is a competitive, sustainable and innovative product that is used as a carbon source in the wastewater treatment process and is derived from recycled ethanol from the pharmaceutical industry.
Source(s): Univar Press Release
Further Information
Visit: http://www.univar.com