May 6 2005
BASF and Shell Chemicals are to sell their 50-50 joint venture Basell, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of polyolefins, to a consortium led by New York-based Access Industries together with The Chatterjee Group. A corresponding agreement was signed. The sale price will total €4.4 billion, including debt.
The transaction is subject to approval by the relevant antitrust authorities and closing is expected in the second half of 2005.
BASF and Shell announced plans to review options for the joint venture in July 2004. The two companies established Basell as an independent company in 2000 to suc-cessfully consolidate their polyolefins businesses across the world. Basell achieved competitive advantages such as cost leadership through world-scale plants, and has developed into one of the world leaders in its industry.
“Basell’s recent strong performance has shown that it was the right decision to form the joint venture,” said Dr. John Feldmann, member of the Board of Executive Direc-tors of BASF Aktiengesellschaft, and Chairman of Basell’s Supervisory Board. “The strategic divestment will now create additional value for the BASF Group as part of the company’s ongoing portfolio management. In its Plastics segment, BASF will continue to focus its strategic position on styrenics, performance polymers, polyure-thanes and their related value chains.”
“Basell has successfully consolidated the portfolio of polyolefins assets of the two shareholders to become a major player in the industry,” said Fran Keeth, Executive Vice President, Shell Chemicals. “The divestment enables Shell to optimize share-holder value and focus on our strategy of leveraging the synergies between oil prod-ucts and chemicals activities, to strengthen our core portfolio in Europe and North America, and to grow in Asia and the Middle East.”
“I’m very pleased that we are the successful bidder for Basell,” said Len Blavatnik, Chairman of Access Industries. “We are experienced in industrial investments in companies that compete in large, cyclical markets, and we believe Basell is an attrac-tively positioned global business with an excellent future. I am very impressed by Basell’s track record, and by the company’s highly professional and motivated man-agement and workforce.”
Dr. Chatterjee, Chairman of The Chatterjee Group, likewise praised Basell’s “broad-based customer portfolio, premium market position and leading capability in product and process innovation. We look forward to consolidating Basell’s global leadership position through enhanced commitments in technology.”
http://www.corporate.basf.com
6th May 2005