Plastic additives: Addcomp acquires Priex business

Masterbatch developer and supplier Addcomp Holland BV (Nijverdal, The Netherlands) has acquired the Priex resins business from chemicals and plastics supplier Solvay (Brussels, Belgium). The Priex business includes functionalized maleic anhydride-grafted polyolefin homopolymers and copolymers, ionomers, and emulsions, used to modify and improve the properties of olefin-based polymers and composites. They also see use as protective coatings on beverage cans, to join multi-material assemblies, as coupling agents for glass- and natural-fiber reinforced composites, and to compatibilize olefin blends and alloys.

The acquisition includes all manufacturing equipment, which has been moved from Brussels to Nijverdal; all patents, tradenames, and internet domain names; and the global customer portfolio for the product lines. The acquisition was completed March 31, 2008, but Addcomp began marketing Priex products in June. Solvay divested its polyolefins business in 2005 and says as a result the Priex business was no longer a good fit for it.

Paul Stassen, Addcomp marketing and sales director, said his firm intends to invest in additional capacity that will debottleneck production and triple global capacity for Priex-brand materials. Last year Addcomp nearly doubled its then-capacity to support growing demand.—[email protected]