BASF Wraps up Chemetall Acquisition

BASF has completed its acquisition of Chemetall from US chemicals and catalyst group  Albemarle. The company based at Hamm, Germany, with sales of $845 million in 2015, specializes in applied surface treatments for metal, plastic and glass substrates in a wide range of industries. End markets include automotive, aerospace, aluminum finishing and metal forming.

Chemetall’s operations will be integrated into the German chemical giant’s Coatings division portfolio, where the addition of its expertise in surface treatment to BASF’s knowhow in chemicals and coatings will expand the portfolio.

With the takeover by BASF, Chemetall comes back under the control of a traditional German company.  The business passed into Albemarle’s hands in 2015 from Chemal, a unit of US-based Rockwood Holdings. Rockwood had bought it in 2004 in a sell-out of assets belonging to the once vast empire of Frankfurt-headquartered Metallgesellschaft, at the time trading as mg technologies.

The Hamm company’s customized technology and system solutions for surface treatment are employed in protecting metals from corrosion as well as facilitating forming and machining. The treatment prepares parts for the painting process to ensure proper coating adhesion.

Acquiring Chemetall will allow BASF to “significantly expand” its market, said Markus Kamieth, president of the Ludwigshafen group’s Coatings division, which has annual sales of €3.2 billion. To prepare for a seamless integration, BASF has established a global integration management Team, which it said will ensure business continuity while maintaining a clear priority on meeting customer needs.