Sika to sell three admixture production plants in Canada

MOSCOW (MRC) -- The Competition Bureau has entered into a consent agreement with Sika AG to address competition concerns with its acquisition of MBCC Group, said the company.

A Bureau review concluded that the proposed transaction would likely lessen competition substantially in the supply of admixture systems in Canada. In particular, it would provide Sika AG with increased market power in Canada. This could lead to price increases for customers and/or decreases in other non-price aspects of competition, like innovation.

To resolve the Bureau’s concerns, Sika AG has agreed to sell certain MBCC Group assets to a single independent purchaser to be approved by the Commissioner of Competition. Under the terms of the agreement, these include: 3 admixture production plants in Canada, located in Nisku, Alberta; Brampton, Ontario; and Saint-Leonard (Montreal), Quebec; 10 admixture production plants and a research and development centre in Beachwood, Ohio, in the United States; and a global research and development centre in Trostberg, Germany.

The Commissioner is satisfied that the sale of MBCC Group’s admixture systems businesses in Canada and the US and the research and development centre in Germany will resolve the competitive issues arising from the proposed transaction in Canada.

As part of a broader international remedy, Sika AG will also sell MBCC Group’s admixture systems businesses in Europe (EEA, UK and Switzerland), and MBCC Group’s admixture systems and construction systems businesses in Australia and New Zealand. Throughout its review the Bureau’s officers were in communication with international counterparts, including the European Commission, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority, the United States DOJ, the New Zealand Commerce Commission and the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission.

We remind, Sika has agreed to sell Aliva Equipment, a Swiss unit supplying machines for the application of shotcrete, to Normet Group Oy, a Finnish global company providing solutions for underground construction, said the company.
In 2021, Aliva Equipment generated sales of CHF 12 million.

Sika is a specialty chemicals company with a leading position in the development and production of systems and products for bonding, sealing, damping, reinforcing, and protecting in the building sector and motor vehicle industry. Sika has subsidiaries in 101 countries around the world and manufactures in over 200 factories.

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MOSCOW (MRC) -- PPG announces the launch of PPG STEELGUARD 951 coating, an innovative epoxy intumescent fire protection coating designed to meet the demands of modern architectural steel, including up to three hours of cellulosic fire protection, said the company.

In a fire situation, the coating expands from a thin, lightweight film into a thick, foam-like layer that insulates the steel and maintains its structural integrity, providing more time for people to escape and limiting damage to buildings and assets.

PPG STEELGUARD® 951 coating also provides effective corrosion protection for very corrosive atmospheric environments up to ISO 12944 C5 without the need for a topcoat, which also reduces project time and costs to achieve results. It can provide up to 3,500 microns dry film thickness in a single coat and cures rapidly, making it ready to handle the day after application.

“Structural steel plays a critical role in modern architecture by enabling buildings to meet specific fire protection and corrosion resistance according to their function,” said Richard Mann, PPG global product manager, passive fire protection, Protective and Marine Coatings.

“PPG Steelguard 951 coating is unique in combining an aesthetically pleasing finish with high corrosion protection and, most importantly, the ability to maintain the steel’s stability in the event of a fire,” added Mann.

We remind, PPG will invest USD11 million to double the production capacity of its powder coatings plant in San Juan del Rio, Mexico. The expansion project is expected to be completed by mid-2023 and will allow the plant to meet the expected future demand for powder coatings in Mexico.

PPG is a leading supplier of powder coatings to the automotive, transportation, appliance, furniture and other markets. The company expanded the business with its 2020 acquisition of Alpha Coating Technologies, which manufactures powder coatings for light industrial applications and heat-sensitive substrates, and its 2021 acquisition of Worwag, which makes liquid, powder and film coatings for industrial and automotive applications. PPG recently agreed to acquire the powder coatings business of Arsonsisi, including a manufacturing plant in Verbania, Italy.


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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Evonik, one of the world's leading specialty chemicals companies, is moving its North America headquarters from Parsippany, N.J., to Piscataway, N.J., said the company.

The official address change took effect on January 1, 2023. The Parsippany location will be closed with the end of its lease later this year.

The relocation is part of Evonik’s larger site rationalization plan to ensure efficient operations and future growth in North America. Evonik has embraced a hybrid work model in the region to consolidate office space, enhance employee engagement, and increase employer attractiveness.

“For Evonik, moving towards a hybrid workplace is a strategic opportunity to attract and retain diverse talent and to enable an efficient real estate footprint,” says Bonnie Tully, president North America region. “We want to foster conditions for growth, creativity, and innovation.”

The new Piscataway headquarters, located approximately 35 miles southwest of New York City, consists of administrative offices, laboratories for Research & Development, and the largest Collaboration Hub in the North America region – designed to support a hybrid and creative work environment for more than 160 employees. Evonik has recently opened similar hubs at its sites in Richmond, Va., and Mobile, Ala., and will eventually feature them at six locations in North America.

The uniquely designed spaces offer open areas and meeting rooms for employees to work onsite without needing individual offices. Employees have access to collaboration technology like digital whiteboards and tools for video conferencing. "The Collaboration Hubs promote interactions across our business lines and functions," says Tully. "It will shape the future of work at Evonik and contribute to our culture of innovation."

North America is an essential growth market for Evonik. The region contributed roughly a quarter (23%) to Evonik's annual sales in 2021, making it the second-largest revenue source after Europe (EMEA). By 2030, Evonik aims to invest more than USD3 billion in Next Generation Solutions — products with superior sustainability benefits. Evonik will invest an additional USD700 million in Next Generation Technologies to optimize production processes and infrastructure and avoid CO2 emissions.

We remind, Evonik is pooling its expertise and integrating its alkoxides business into the Catalysts Business Line. The extensive portfolio of heterogeneous catalysts is thus now complemented by homogeneous catalysts. An international network of production sites and the highly experienced alkoxides team will additionally strengthen the Catalysts Business Line, one of Evonik's growth areas, from January 2023.

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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Orbia's Connectivity Solutions business revenue for 4Q 2022 was USD317 M increased 7% and full year 2022 revenues of USD1370 M increased 38%, said the company.

4Q 2022 EBITDA of USD84 M increased 108% and EBITDA margin increased approximately 1305 basis points to 26.7%, while full year 2022 EBITDA of USD357 M increased 167% and EBITDA margin increased approximately 1260 basis points to 26.1%.

Orbia delivered solid results for 2022 and exceeded the upper end of its annual EBITDA guidance, which accounted for ongoing impacts from macroeconomic challenges and lower year-over-year revenue and profitability. For both the quarter and the year, Orbia generated strong cash flow and maintained a strong balance sheet, demonstrating resilience in its businesses and robust long-term fundamentals.

We remind, olvay and Orbia recently announced their entry into a joint venture framework agreement to create a partnership for the production of suspension-grade polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), creating the largest capacity in North Americam said the company. As it is further stated in a press release, the joint venture will create the largest PVDF production facility for battery materials in the region. The total investment is estimated around 850 million USD, partially funded by a grant to Solvay from the U.S. Department of Energy for a total of 178 million USD.

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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Evonik has started up a new hollow-fibre spinning plant for the production of gas separation membranes at Schorfling, Austria, said the company.

The new production capacity enables the company to meet the ongoing strong demand for SEPURAN membranes in biogas, nitrogen, hydrogen and natural gas applications. Evonik invested a low double-digit million-euro amount in the new plant and created around 30 new jobs in Schorfling.

Lauren Kjeldsen, head of the Smart Materials Division, says: “The growth path of the membranes business clearly follows the group’s new sustainability strategy.” Last May, Evonik announced plans to invest €3 billion by 2030 in Next Generation Solutions, products with superior sustainability benefits. The company’s goal is to increase sales of Next Generation Solutions from the current 37% to more than 50% by 2030. The rapid increase in demand for Next Generation Solutions offers above-average growth potential for Evonik. “With our innovations, we support our customers in making their own products more sustainable and improving their own climate footprint. Our membrane technology for efficient gas separation is a living example of how Next Generation Solutions from Evonik contribute to sustainable added value in close cooperation with all market players,” says Kjeldsen.

In the new production plant, a high-performance polymer is processed into fine hollow-fibers in several process steps. They are at the heart of Evonik’s SEPURAN membrane technology. The specialty chemicals company draws on its many years of expertise in polymer chemistry and adjusts key membrane properties already at the development stage of the base material — a high-performance polymer — to produce particularly selective and robust membranes that can withstand extreme pressures and temperatures.

We remind, Evonik is pooling its expertise and integrating its alkoxides business into the Catalysts Business Line. The extensive portfolio of heterogeneous catalysts is thus now complemented by homogeneous catalysts. An international network of production sites and the highly experienced alkoxides team will additionally strengthen the Catalysts Business Line, one of Evonik's growth areas, from January 2023.

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