Huber Strengthens Fire Retardant Additive Portfolio with Acquisition of Albemarle’s Martinswerk Chemical Businesses

22 December 2015

Huber Engineered Materials (HEM) has reached an agreement to acquire the Martinswerk mineral flame retardants and specialty chemicals businesses of Albemarle.

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in early 2016.

HEM explains the Martinswerk businesses will become part of HEM’s Fire Retardant Additives (FRA) business unit. The following product groups are included in the acquisition:

Martinal precipitated and ground alumina trihydrate
Magnifin premium precipitated magnesium hydroxide
A variety of specialty chemical products:

Martifin specialty hydrates for paper
Martoxid aluminum oxide primarily for ceramics
Pergopak flatting agents primarily for coatings
Compalox granulated activated alumina

Huber says that acquiring these product lines complements its existing portfolio of fire retardants and smoke suppressants while expanding its geographic presence and reach globally. As part of this transaction, Huber will also acquire a 50% position in Magnifin, a joint-venture at Breitenau, Austria, which produces magnesium hydroxide.

According to HEM, the acquisition marks the fourth and largest addition to its Fire Retardant Additive business in the last five years and is another exciting step in the unit’s continued growth. Earlier this year, Huber purchased the Safire nitrogen and phosphorous flame retardant technology from Floridienne Group and Catena Additives. In 2012, Huber bought the specialty hydrate flame retardant business from Almatis and in 2010, the Kemgard flame retardant and smoke suppressant business from Sherwin Williams.