Aditya Birla Group today said it had completed the $875 million acquisition of Columbian Chemicals Company, an Atlanta-based carbon black maker.
"The completion of the acquisition of Columbian Chemicals is indeed a milestone in our carbon nlack business. At one stroke it doubles our capacity, from one million tonnes to two million tonnes," Santrupt Misra, a member of the newly-formed board of Columbian Chemicals, said in a company release.
Carbon black additives are used by tyre and other rubber manufacturers. Its products also service the ink and plastic segments.
The acquisition, announced in January, helped the Aditya Birla Group to extend its geographical reach and in giving a foothold in North and South America, strengthening position in Europe and in emerging markets.
"We view the carbon black business as a significant global business in our portfolio. There is a lot to be derived from this coming together of the two entities. Columbian Chemicals' excellent R&D capability, multiple speciality products, the customer connect in North America and South America, coupled with committed teams, will add to the strength of the carbon black business," Aditya Birla Group Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla said.
Columbian Chemicals is among the world's leading producers of carbon black. Based in Marietta, Georgia, the company and its affiliates own and operate 12 manufacturing facilities in the US, Brazil, Canada, China, England, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Korea and Spain, employing 1,300 people.
The newly-constituted board for Columbian Chemicals would be chaired by Kumar Mangalam Birla. Other Directors in the Board include Rajashree Birla, Rajiv Dube, Santrupt Misra, DD Rathi and Kevin Boyle, CEO, Columbian Chemicals.
