AkzoNobel has boosted its position in the North American hydrogen peroxide market with the purchase of all outstanding shares in EkO Peroxide, a joint venture with OCI Peroxygens. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. The jv established nine years ago is headquartered at AkzoNobel’s site in Columbus, Mississippi, USA, where it operates a hydrogen peroxide plant with a capacity of 63,500 t/y.

Werner Fuhrmann, AkzoNobel’s executive committee member responsible for specialty chemicals, said the acquisition supports the company’s strategic growth objectives for bleaching chemicals, enabling it to strengthen its integrated platform for the production of hydrogen peroxide and sodium chlorate at the Columbus site. Fuhrmann added that the hydrogen peroxide market in North America has improved significantly in recent years.