Following an announcement in June of
this year, AkzoNobel has agreed to the sale
of 67 of its 72 German decorative paints
stores to five independent wholesale distributors. Financial details were not disclosed.
As a result of the transactions, all related assets and staff will transfer to the
new owners, with completion expected
by the end of Q1 2014. Of the remaining five stores, three will be closed, while
the sale of the other two is expected to be
finalized by the end of the month.
AkzoNobel will also form strategic
partnerships with the five distributors,
with contracts in place for the company
to continue supplying paint. The new
owners will be Schlau Hammer, MEG
Rhein Ruhr, MEG Paderborn, MEG West
and Weigel.
The divestment of the 67 stores is part
of AkzoNobel’s global drive for operational excellence. In Germany, it is central
to plans to make the country more profitable and effective by fully focusing on
customer needs and developing and marketing key brands, the company stated.
Sika to Acquire
Cementitious Powder
Products Manufacturer
Sika has agreed to acquire LCS Optiroc
Pte Ltd. in Singapore and LCS Optiroc
SDN. BHD in Malaysia, a leading manufacturer of cementitious powder products.
The business generated annual sales of
CHF 24 million in the last financial year.
With the acquisitions of AkzoNobel’s
Building Adhesives and Everbuild Building
Products this year as well as Technokolla
in 2011, this take-over strengthens Sika’s
offerings in powder products and in the
interior finishing sector.
Founded by Kim Hong Lim and
Choong Fee Chong, LCS Optiroc has
achieved a leading position in the
Singapore cementitious powder products
market, according to the firm. The com-
pany has a strong product offering which
includes grouts, mortars, floor screeds,
Choong Fee Chong will stay with the
company to support the development of
the cementitious powder business both
locally and regionally.
Sika is acquiring two established
factories in Singapore and in Malaysia,
which will reinforce the regional supply
chain. The acquisition will enable Sika to
take a big step forward in the Singapore
construction market, significantly increasing sales volume and gaining a local
manufacturing base.
With the new site in Malaysia, Sika
will strengthen its presence in the southern
part of the country. In addition to further
strengthening Sika’s market position in
Malaysia and Singapore, the acquisition
will also provide a base for expansion into
the cementitious powder products market
in the Asia/Pacific region.
PPG Aerospace Expands
Operations in Japan
PPG Industries has expanded its aerospace business operations in Japan with
the relocation of its application support
center to a site in Miyoshi that supports
increased production capacity, adds warehouse space and affords new service capabilities. The new site in Miyoshi Kurozasa
Industrial Park includes a 1,994 square-meter manufacturing facility and office as
well as an 890 square-meter stand-alone
on-site warehouse.
The larger site, near Nagoya, enables PPG Aerospace to expand its capabilities in the region as Japan’s role
as a major aerospace center continues
to grow, according to Paul Bowman,
PPG Aerospace general manager for
Asia Pacific. PPG established operations at its former application support
center in Handa City in 2005 after
serving the Japanese aerospace market
from a facility in Tokyo for sealants
and coatings distribution.
The staff of PPG ASC-Japan, which
is located at 1123-1, Komochimatsu,
Kurozasa, in Miyoshi Kurozasa Industrial
Park, provides regional support to original-equipment and maintenance customers in
commercial, business and military aviation
as well as military land-based transportation. The ASC is one of 16 PPG operates
around the world to provide local sales,
customer service and technical support for
aerospace OEM customers, airlines and
aftermarket customers for PPG Aerospace
sealants, coatings and transparencies.
Keep America Beautiful
Launches Community Paint
Donation Program through
Support from Dow
National nonprofit Keep America
Beautiful (KAB) and Dow have launched
the KAB Community Paint Donation
Program, which will award donated paint
to communities throughout the country.
Dow completed its sixth year as a national sponsor of Keep America Beautiful’s
Great American Cleanup (GAC) in 2013
with employees volunteering at more than
50 events in communities with Dow business locations throughout the U.S.
These merit-based grants have been
developed to support KAB affiliates’ efforts to build and sustain vibrant communities at a local level. Grant awards will
be used to purchase paint that features innovative raw materials provided by Dow
Coating Materials.
Dow is continuing to demonstrate
its commitment to making a difference
in communities where it has a presence
by donating materials for approximately
2,500 formulated gallons of 100 percent
acrylic interior paint for community improvement projects that KAB affiliates
and GAC participating organizations initiate in Dow communities.
“Thriving communities are rooted
in individual responsibility and action
as well as public-private partnerships,”
said Becky Lyons, COO of Keep America
AkzoNobel Confirms Sale
of German Paint Stores
