Plastics materials giant Ravago SA has been growing its presence in specialty chemicals distribution, including numerous plastics-related products.
In March, Ravago — based in Arendonk, Belgium — acquired TH Hilson Co., a specialty chemicals distributor in Wheaton, Ill. No purchase price was disclosed. Products distributed by Hilson include acrylics, polyurethane dispersions, epoxies, silicones, pigments, liquid colorants and a wide range of plastics additives.
The sale included brand identity and employee retention, as well as trade names, supplier and customer lists, and all other information, systems, and equipment required to operate the business, officials said in a news release. The business will continue to operate under its own name.
“The mission of Ravago Chemical is to have a global presence with a local feel,” Ravago Americas president and CEO Jim Duffy said in the release. “We looked at a variety of companies to become our North American platform to build on. We focused our efforts on cultural fit and were seeking a leader with the same goals and industry expertise.
“We wanted all the talent to build upon and leave the company with its trade names and brand,” he added. “This is what we found in TH Hilson. The numbers can add up, but if the people don't add up, it won't work.”
Hilson president and CEO Lori Hilson Cioromski — daughter of company founder Terry Hilson — now will become vice president and general manager of the unit.
“Ravago chose the TH Hilson Co. to help them build a world-class chemical distribution business across North America,” she said in the release. “It is so exciting to have a partner who embraces our culture and believes in what we can accomplish together. There is so much power behind this relationship — unprecedented in the industry.”
Also in March, Ravago became full owner of chemicals distributor Campi y Jove of Barcelona. That firm's products include PU resins and composites and plastics additives. Ravago previously had owned half of Campi y Jove in a partnership with Dutch additives and ingredients supplier Barentz Europe NV.
Ravago has bought four other European specialty chemical distributors since 2013, including Chemres of Werndorf, Austria, and Innovia of Fordham, England. Innovia's products include PU resins, acrylics and emulsion polymers.
“In addition to the progressive and solid growth of our plastics business, we think that a chemical distribution and blending business is the natural evolution for the Ravago Group,” Ravago SA CEO Theo Roussis said in a news release. “I can proudly say that we are a service-oriented organization, with dedicated teams of chemical experts. We maintain a commercially entrepreneurial approach with the flexibility to tailor our practices to the needs of our strategic supplier base.”
Ravago employs 5,000 worldwide, distributing almost 9 billion pounds of resins and compounds to 40,000 customers. The firm also operates 30 manufacturing sites for recycling and compounding, as well as production of expanded polystyrene resin and finished products for the building and construction market.
Ravago's North American operations — based in Orlando, Fla. — include resin distributors H. Muehlstein and Amco Polymers, as well as compounder Entec Polymers.