Nov 8 2004
Kemiron Companies, Inc. of Bartow, Florida has announced the acquisition of Eaglebrook International Group, Ltd. of Matteson, Ill. through a stock acquisition transaction. Both companies are leading manufacturers and distributors of water treatment chemicals used in drinking water and wastewater. The combined companies will have revenues more than $165 million and nearly 500 employees, making it the leading producer of inorganic coagulants in North America. Products will be marketed under the Kemiron name in the United States and under the Eaglebrook name in Canada.
“This acquisition provides an opportunity to better serve our customers both regionally and nationally across North America, through a broader product line and an expanded distribution network,” said Lawrence Hjersted, Kemiron’s chief executive officer (CEO), who will also serve as CEO of the new company. “The combination of Eaglebrook’s strengths in transportation and logistics with Kemiron’s expertise in engineering and processing will create a much more dynamic and efficient organization.”
The company headquarters will remain in Bartow, Florida. Kemiron’s primary geographic presence has been in the Western and Southern United States and Eaglebrook’s has been in the Eastern United States and Canada. Kemiron currently sources its products from twelve production facilities located in the United States, while Eaglebrook sources its products from two production facilities located in the United States and three in Canada. Products will be distributed from these production sites plus over 40 distribution terminals in North America.
The new company will continue to be majority controlled by Kemira Oyj, headquartered in Helsinki, Finland. Kemira is a leading global chemical company focusing in water treatment chemicals, pulp and paper chemicals, industrial chemicals and paints and coatings, with annual sales of $3.2 billion for 2003. Kemira’s water treatment chemicals division, Kemwater, is the largest producer of inorganic coagulants in the world with operations in 30 countries world wide with a turnover of $338 million.
For more information on paper, click here.