16.03.2023 • NewsApolloUnivar

Apollo Takes Univar for $8.1 Billion

Private equity group Apollo has agreed to acquire Univar Solutions for $8.1 billion. The transaction also includes a “minority” investment from a wholly owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority.

© Shutterstock/AVAVA
© Shutterstock/AVAVA

"We are pleased to have reached this agreement with Apollo, which will provide immediate and certain cash value for Univar Solutions shareholders," said Univar chairman Chris Pappas. "The board's decision follows a comprehensive review of value creation opportunities for Univar Solutions. We are confident this transaction is the right path forward and achieves our goal of maximizing value for Univar Solutions shareholders."

Apollo partner Sam Feinstein added that Univar can accelerate its long-term strategy as one of its portfolio companies.

The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2023, subject to customary conditions and including approval by Univar Solutions shareholders. Once the deal is finalized, Univar will become a private company and no longer trade on the New York Stock Exchange. It will, however, continue to operate under the Univar Solutions name and brand.

Activist investor Engine Capital has been urging Univar to consider a sale or other options, saying the distributor was deeply undervalued and had been unable to generate adequate returns for investors. Late last year, the US distributor and German distribution giant Brenntag started preliminary talks but the companies announced in January that these had ended.

Author: Elaine Burridge, Freelance Journalist

Interview

Specialty Chemicals in a Shifting World
Adapting to Tariffs and Strengthening Regional Networks

Specialty Chemicals in a Shifting World

Jennifer Abril, President & CEO of SOCMA, discusses the impact of new tariffs and the importance of regional supply networks in the specialty chemical industry.

Virtual Event

Digitalization in the Chemical Industry
CHEManager Spotlight

Digitalization in the Chemical Industry

Save the Date: October 22, 2025
The event will be promoted to a combined audience of over 100,000 professionals across Europe through the CHEManager and CITplus networks.

most read

Photo
28.07.2025 • NewsChemistry

VCI Welcomes US-EU Customs Deal

The German Chemical Industry Association (VCI) welcomes the fact that Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and US President Donald Trump have averted the danger of a trade war for the time being.