France’s Mersen, known as a global expert in electrical power and advanced materials, has acquired Louisville Graphite (LGI), a full-service company specialized in design, manufacture, reconditioning and service of graphite heat exchangers and other graphite process equipment.

Mersen said the acquisition strengthens its anticorrosion equipment business unit’s presence in the US chemical processing and metal finishing industries. From its geographic location at Louisville, Kentucky, in the Ohio River industrial region, LGI is well positioned to supply customers, the French company said.

The addition of the Kentucky firm fits its own strategy of growth and allows for the geographic expansion of the repair business, Mersen said. The integration of LGI will add sales and support to its current Salem, Virginia, and Gonzalez, Louisiana, facilities.

Mersen's anticorrosion equipment unit designs, manufactures, and services corrosion resistant process equipment in a wide range of materials, including graphite, silicon carbide, tantalum, zirconium, titanium, nickel alloys, stainless steel, carbon steel and fluoropolymer. The Paris-based group with 6,400 employees in 35 countries, had sales of €809 million in 2017.