Mergers, Acquisitions & Partnerships: Dow-DuPont merger gets EU green light

March 27, 2017

By combining, the companies expect to see cost savings of approximately $3 billion with the potential for $1 billion in growth synergies.

Dow-DuPont merger gets EU green light

DuPont and The Dow Chemical Company have reached another regulatory milestone in their proposed merger of equals, announcing that the European Commission (EC) has granted conditional regulatory clearance in Europe.

According to a statement on Dow’s website, this action is a significant step toward closing the merger transaction, with the intention to subsequently spin into three independent publicly traded companies.

By combining, the companies expect to see cost savings of approximately $3 billion with the potential for $1 billion in growth synergies.

Longer term, Dow says the intended three-way split is expected to benefit not only shareholders and customers, but also offer more opportunity for employees as each company will be a leader in segments where global challenges are driving demand for their offerings.

Specifically, DuPont will divest its Cereal Broadleaf Herbicides and Chewing Insecticides portfolios. DuPont will also divest its Crop Protection research and development (R&D) pipeline and organization, excluding seed treatment, nematicides, and late-stage R&D programs, which DuPont will continue to develop and bring to market, and excluding personnel needed to support marketed products and R&D programs that will remain with DuPont. DuPont is currently in negotiations to divest the crop protection assets.

Additionally, on Feb. 2, 2017, Dow announced an agreement with SK Global Chemical Co. LTD. to divest its global Ethylene Acrylic Acid (EAA) copolymers and ionomers business. These divestitures are conditioned on Dow and DuPont closing their merger transaction, in addition to other closing conditions, including regulatory filings, local employment law and governance.

Following the divestiture of a portion of DuPont’s crop protection business, the Agriculture Division of the merged company will retain several crop protection assets.

The EC’s approval is conditional on DuPont and Dow fulfilling commitments given to the EC in connection with the clearance. The companies said they believe the outcome of the EC review "is pro-competitive and maintains the strategic logic and value creation potential of the transaction."

Sulzer, ABB pen UK service agreement for large motors and generators

Sulzer was selected to provide the U.K. market with maintenance and repair services for ABB medium and high voltage motors and generators. The agreement provides ABB customers with direct access to the specialist skills and extensive facilities of Sulzer’s service centers in Birmingham, England and Falkirk, Scotland. Sulzer will provide inspection, remedial work, modifications, repairs and rewinds of ABB’s large machines rated at 6.6 kV and above. All repairs will be completed to ABB approved standards using original spare parts.

From left to right: Peter Wright, Global Product Manager – ABB Motors and Generators Field Service Operations; Dave Hawley, Local Business Unit Manager for ABB Motors & Generators Discrete Automation & Motion; Chris Powles, Head of Electromechanical Services for the EMEA at Sulzer; Adrian Larmour, Sulzer Service Centre Manager, Birmingham Service Centre.

Hamilton Robotics, Zymo Research Corporation announce collaboration

Hamilton Robotics and Zymo Research Corporation announced an ongoing collaboration that combines Zymo Research’s epigenetics innovations with Hamilton’s high-throughput workflow expertise. A number of Zymo Research assay chemistries are now optimized for use on Hamilton’s automated liquid handling workstations, including a time-saving and robust automated method for non-biased extraction of DNA and RNA. Additional integrated workflows will be released to strengthen epigenetics research in a wide range of markets, from academia to diagnostics and more.

Festo names AWC, BG Technologies, Wolf Solutions as distributors

Automotion technology supplier Festo named three new distributors to its team.

AWC will distribute process automation products in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas. AWC offers customers a team of more than 400 engineers, technical support and service specialists across 30 local customer care centers, located mainly in the southern U.S.

BG Technologies will distribute sensors and power supply products in Texas. The small, woman-owned industrial electronic distributor has a staff that offers more than 130 years of combined industrial electronic experience.

Wolf Solutions will distribute automation products in Oklahoma and Texas. A service disabled veteran-owned small business in Krum, Texas, the company offers extensive industrial automation and project management experience.

Nexeo Solutions authorized as Solvay distributor

Effective April 30, 2017, Nexeo Solutions will become an authorized distributor of the Solvay AEROSOL Surfactant Chemistry, formerly sold by Cytec Industries Inc., in the U.S. and Canada.  Solvay acquired Cytec Industries Inc. in 2015.

This decision will help Solvay focus on the continued development of solutions for the coatings, emulsion polymerization and industrial markets. Solvay will continue to supply these products with the same manufacturing location, process and sales specifications.

Sponsored Recommendations

Choosing The Right Partner for CHIPS Act Investments

As the U.S. looks to invest in the semiconductor research and production using CHIPS Act 2022 funding, it's important to choose the right partner.

EMWD Uses Technology to Meet Sustainability Goals

Eastern Municipal Water District pilots artificial intelligence-enabled control and machine learning to help save energy, reduce costs, and improve quality.

Protein Processing Solutions: Automation & Control

For protein processors looking to address industry challenges, improve efficiency, and stay ahead in a competitive market, Rockwell Automation offers tailored automation, control...

Automotive Manufacturing Innovation: Smart Solutions for a Connected Future

Rockwell Automation provides automation and control systems tailored for the automotive and tire industries, supporting electric vehicle production, tire production, battery production...