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Finnish Chemicals and Huron Tech Corp
Combine
(Finnish Chemicals 4.12.2000)
Finnish Chemicals Oy, Äetsä, Finland, and Huron Tech Corp, Jacksonville, FL, USA announced today that they have combined their activities. Finnish Chemicals is acquiring 100% of Huron Tech Corp. Both companies are key producers of chemical products for the pulp and paper industry in Europe and North America. Each has a particular strength in the manufacture and supply of sodium chlorate. Sodium chlorate is used primarily to make chlorine dioxide for the environmentally advanced ECF pulp bleaching processes. Finnish Chemicals is the number two producer of sodium chlorate in Europe and Huron Tech is number four in North America and the leading producer in the south-east United States.
Finnish Chemicals makes pulp and paper chemicals, fine chemicals and basic chemicals at three sites in Finland for sale to customers primarily in Europe. Research and development and administrative activities are also based in Finland at the manufacturing sites. Huron Tech Corp. manufactures sodium chlorate at facilities in Augusta, GA, and Eastover, SC, both in the USA. Equipment fabrication, research and development and administration are based in Delco, NC and Jacksonville, FL, USA and Kingston, Ont., Canada.
Both firms have been on a growth track. The combination represents a major step forward for both groups. Besides the excellent fit in sodium chlorate activities, the long electrochemical experience of both companies will enhance future new business development activities.
This combination makes sense from every point of view said Steve Smith, Finnish Chemicals CEO and Managing Director. We have complementary market strengths. We have additive technical strengths. We have two good, customer focused teams who will soon work as one serving our pulp and paper industry customers world-wide. We are companies with compatible cultures and business philosophies. Everyone is excited by the new internal growth we will create on both sides of the Atlantic. Because the principal driver for the combination has always been the focus on future strategic growth, no reductions of personnel or activity are planned.
The pulp and paper chemicals activity will operate under the FINNCHEM umbrella. Finnish Chemicals fine chemicals activity, Delicato Chemical, will continue to operate as a separate entity, but will also benefit from the combination. The Huron Tech ClorMatic® activity will be given increased emphasis. Both companies have a number of internal new development projects. The combination will enable those projects to receive the support they deserve to be successful under a combined R&D / Business Development activity.
Finnish Chemicals in brief
Finnish Chemicals operations are divided into three businesses. The FINNCHEM business focuses on chemicals and services for the forest products industry worldwide. Delicato Chemical specialises in fine chemicals used in the pharmaceutical industry, environmental remediation and in industrial processing. Like FINNCHEM, Delicato Chemical has a global vision. Virtually all of the products are sold outside Finland. Blueline Chemicals primary focus is on chlor-alkali products for industrial processes, cleaning, and sanitation. The Joutseno chlor-alkali plant is a Best Available Technology (BAT) membrane cell facility.
Finnish Chemicals follows an integrated quality, environmental and safety programme for all its activities. The ISO 9002 quality certificate received in 1994 has been complemented with the ISO 14001 environmental certificate and the OHSMS safety certificate. Finnish Chemicals is one of the first Finnish companies to have an integrated quality, environmental and safety certificate covering all sites and all activities. Finnish Chemicals is also committed to follow the Responsible Care® programme, which sets global standards on environment, health and safety issues in the chemistry industry.
Finnish Chemicals was incorporated in 1937 and predecessor companies trace their history back for almost a century of producing chemical products for the pulp and paper industry. The administrative centre of the company is situated in Äetsä, about 200 km north of Helsinki. The turnover in 1999 was EUR 124 million. There are about 320 Finnish Chemicals people.
Huron Tech Corp in brief
Huron Tech Corp. is a privately held company. The group manufactures sodium chlorate, builds ClorMatic® swimming pool sanitizers and develops new electrochemical technologies. The company has also developed several innovative environmental technologies aimed at the general chemical and hydrocarbon processing industries.
Since its inception Huron Tech has established itself as a state-of-the-art developer of chemical and electrochemical plants throughout the United States and Canada. Huron Tech has become the primary sodium chlorate producer in the south-eastern United States. Huron Tech also has developed several commercial electrochemical applications. The company also fabricates specialised production equipment, including equipment for other sodium chlorate producers.
The predecessor to the current Huron Tech Corp was incorporated in Canada in 1957. Huron Tech Corp generated US$ 49 million (EUR 58 million) of revenue in the last financial year that ended July 31. Huron currently employs 138 people.
More information available at
www.finnishchemicals.com
www.hurontechcorp.com