Taminco to buy Air Products' European methylamines business

By Patrick Raleigh, ERJ On-line news editor

Ghent, Belgium-Taminco is to acquire Air Products' European Methylamines & Derivatives business, for an undisclosed fee, Taminco (the former UCB Methylamines & Derivatives business) announced 22 April.

The deal excludes Air Products' North American Methylamines business and its global Higher Amines business, said an Air Products statement. The divesture is part of an ongoing portfolio management review, the US firm added.

Ghent-headquartered Taminco claims to be one of the world's largest producers of methylamine-based chemicals and feedstocks for the pharma and chemicals industries.

Taminco supplies the rubber industry via its Water Treatment & Surfactants division. The unit's portfolio includes rubber cure accerators; TMTD (tetramethylthiuramdisulphide) and ZDMC (Zinc bis-Dimethyl dithiocarbamate).

With operations in Belgium (Ghent), Leuna, Germany and Shanghai, China, Taminco has around 500 employees and posted 2002 sales of Euro186 million.