Celanese Corporation, a global chemical and specialty materials company, announced today two joint venture (JV) actions with Mitsui & Co., Ltd. to extend their longstanding strategic partnership, said the company.
Celanese announced the signing of a term sheet to form a Food Ingredients JV with Mitsui, subject to customary approvals. Through this transaction, Celanese will contribute its Food Ingredients business, inclusive of assets, technology, and employees, to form a standalone Food Ingredients JV. Celanese will retain a 30 percent ownership stake in the JV and Mitsui will acquire a 70 percent ownership stake.
Celanese Food Ingredients is a leading producer of acesulfame potassium (Ace-K) sweetener as well as sorbic acid and potassium sorbate preservatives. Celanese is the inventor and only Western-producer of Sunett® Ace-K which is a zero-calorie, high-intensity sweetener. On a pro-forma basis, the Food Ingredients business generated approximately USD170 million in 2022 net sales and USD45 to USD50 million in 2022 EBITDA. The Food Ingredients JV will combine the leading technology, product portfolio, and backward integration of Celanese with Mitsui’s long-standing positions in a variety of food supply chains across Asia and other regions. Celanese’s Acetyl Chain business will continue to meet the full acetyls raw material needs of the Food Ingredients JV under a long-term supply agreement.
The parties expect the transaction to close during the third quarter of 2023. Celanese expects to utilize cash proceeds from the JV formation to execute against its existing deleveraging plan. Celanese is advised by BofA Securities as financial advisor and Shearman & Sterling LLP as legal counsel.
We remind, Celanese Corporation, a global specialty materials and chemical company, announced the completion of an ultra-low capital project to repurpose existing manufacturing and infrastructure assets to unlock additional ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) capacity at its Edmonton, Alberta facility, said the company. The expansion supports significant growth in the Acetyl Chain’s downstream vinyls portfolio.
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