2 companies acquires Luminart technolgy
MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO — Luminart Inc. announced recent sales of its sign-making technology based on fluorescent acrylic gel.
The Mississauga firm agreed to sell Luminite equipment to SGI Integrated Graphic Systems Inc. of Houston and to Popco Inc. of Dallas. It did not disclose terms of the deals.
A customer applies Luminite acrylic gel to a sign surface using Luminart's computer-aided design/manufacturing automated technology called System 4000. The gel hardens after cure and glows when fluorescent light shines through it, according to Luminart. The company claims Luminite signs are durable and more versatile than conventional acrylic signs.
SGI makes and sells screen-printed materials and graphic structures. Popco offers graphics and screenprinting technology to major retailers and other customers.
British distributor seeks acquisitions
BRADFORD, ENGLAND — British chemicals and plastics distributor Ellis & Everard plc is looking at potential acquisitions in northern Europe and the United States.
The polymer division of the Bradford-based company was to close a northern European purchase by the end of February, according to Steve Bradbury, managing director of the KD Thermoplastics Ltd. subsidiary in Chertsey, England.
He said the division also is looking at a joint venture with an unnamed third party and is targeting at least one potential acquisition in the United States. He would not provide additional details.
Ellis & Everard's bid for growth in the polymer business is in line with its established strategy of expansion through acquisition. Peter Wood, the firm's chief executive officer, said there is much room for additional small takeovers.
Companies are being targeted in the United Kingdom, United States and northern Europe.
Ellis & Everard acquired PET resin distributor Giltrain Plastics Ltd. of Leeds, England, in May. In 1995, the company took control of Horneman (UK) Ltd., a leading polyethylene supplier. The company also owns Horneman Distrupol BV, in the Netherlands, where it distributes Montell polypropylene and a range of engineering thermoplastics.
Australia persiting with PVC resin duties
CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA — Australia will continue anti-dumping duties imposed on PVC resin exports from the United States, Mexico and Brazil until 2002.
The duties were imposed on exports from the three countries in 1992, but expired on Jan. 22, 1997.
Australia's only PVC manufacturers, Sydney-based ICI Australia Ltd. and Melbourne-based Auseon Ltd., claimed that if the measures were removed, PVC from the United States, Mexico and Brazil would be dumped in Australia causing a ``foreseeable threat of injury to the local industry through price pressure.''
The Canberra-based Anti-Dumping Authority agreed. ADA has not disclosed the level of extra duty imposed on imported PVC. The renewed duties will remain for five years, and Australian manufacturers can apply for adjustments to reflect changes in raw material prices.
LNP Engineering signs 2 distributors
EXTON, PA. — LNP Engineering Plastics Inc. has broadened the reach of its high-performance thermoplastic composite raw materials with two U.S. sales and distribution agreements.
Prime Alliance Inc. of Des Moines, Iowa, and CC&P Engineering Polymers of Portland, Ore., will handle LNP's line of Colorcomp precolored engineering resins. Prime Alliance will sell and distribute Colorcomp in the central United States, as well as North and South Carolina. CC&P will concentrate on the Pacific Northwest.
Any of the 26 resins in LNP's portfolio are available. According to Exton-based LNP, the company can deliver critical color matches in its 1000 Series color compounds and colored versions of trademarked resins in two weeks or less. In addition, it can deliver production orders of pre-colored resins in three weeks or less.
Bayer AG purchases Indian ABS supplier
LEVERKUSEN, GERMANY — Bayer AG has extended its Asian production capacity for ABS and styrene acrylonitrile with its purchase of Indian plastics producer ABS Industries Ltd. for $18 million.
Leverkusen-based Bayer acquired a controlling 51 percent share in the Baroda, India, company through Bayer Industries Ltd., its subsidiary in Bombay, India.
ABS Industries is expanding production and compounding capacity for ABS and SAN to 88.2 million pounds and 105.8 million pounds per year, respectively, according to Bayer.
The operation will be renamed Bayer ABS Ltd., according to a Bayer AG spokesman.
The Baroda subsidiary also will market Bayer's Makrolon polycarbonate, Durethan nylon, and their blends.
Klaus Seeger, general manager of Bayer's plastics business group, made the takeover announcement Feb. 25 in Bombay. He predicted above-average growth for engineering plastics in the next five years, especially in Asian markets.
The German firm already produces ABS and SAN at Bayer Premier Co. Ltd., a subsidiary in Thailand.
Bayer AG plans to invest more than 1 billion deutsche marks ($591.8 million) on engineering plastics worldwide over the next five years. Seeger also predicted that by 2000, his company should achieve global engineering plastics sales of over DM 5 billion ($3 billion).