A. Schulman invests in Argentina, rotomolding with Surplast acquisition

A. Schulman will now have a facility in Argentina, in addition to the three facilities it previously added in Brazil through its ICO and Mash acquisitions, after buying a majority stake in Surplast S.A. The specialty compounder and distributor invested $1.1 million to claim a 51% interest in Surplast, investing in the company with Alta Plastica S.A., one of the largest distributors of resins in Argentina.

Gustavo Perez, general manager and chief operating officer of the Americas for A. Schulman, said in a release that the partnership with Surplast will enhance its ability to provide products for the rotational molding industry throughout South America and better serve its customers in Chile, Uruguay, and Argentina.

Located in Buenos Aires, Surplast describes itself on its website as a young company that was founded at the end of 2004 and is dedicated to making rotomolding materials, including low-, medium, and high-density polyethylene, as well as distributing prime resins, including polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), polyvinyl chloride, and engineering plastics.

A. Schulman now has around 3000 employees and 33 manufacturing facilities in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. The company reported net sales of $1.6 billion for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2010. A. Schulman's entrance into the rotational molding market came in 1984 when it became the exclusive distributor of ExxonMobil's rotomolding resins in the U.S. and Mexico, and its acquisition of ICO's rotomolding business further augmented its presence within the roto sector. The company's products for the segment include Polyaxis, Schulink, and Superlinear.