Smart Molding International 2-2025

13 www.smart-molding.com newsfeed Now the sole owner of the production entity BASF has finalized the purchase of DOMO Chemicals’ 49% share in the Alsachimie joint venture, making the company the sole owner of the production entity for essential polyamide (PA) 6.6 precursors, including KA-oil, adipic acid, and hexamethylenediamine adipate (AH salt) in Chalampé, France. The parties have agreed to not disclose financial details of the transaction. With full ownership of Alsachimie, BASF strengthens its operational footprint at the Chalampé site – its European hub for PA 6.6 production. The strategic decision enhances BASF’s ability to optimize backward integration into key raw materials, ensuring supply reliability and efficiency across the PA 6.6 value chain. For DOMO Chemicals, the transaction aligns with its strategy to continue to focus on delivering tailored polyamide solutions to core industries, including automotive, consumer goods, industrial, and electrical and electronics. The transaction adds to BASF’s series of recent strategic measures aimed at further strengthening its PA 6.6 production capabilities at Chalampé site, including the newly inaugurated state-of- the-art hexamethylenediamine (HMD) plant as well as the expansion of the PA 6.6 polymerization capacity at the nearby site in Freiburg, Germany. BASF www.basf.com Aerial view Chalampé site (picture source: BASF) Dow sells its 50% ownership in DowAksa joint venture Dow has recently signed a sale and purchase agreement to sell its 50% interest in DowAksa Advanced Composites Holdings BV (DowAksa) to Aksa Akrilik Kimya Sanayii A.Ş., a company of Akkök Holding. Aksa Aksa Akrilik Kimya Sanayii A.Ş., the other 50% joint venture partner, has agreed to acquire Dow's 50% interest. Dow's proceeds from the sale are expected to be $125 million, which reflects, after accounting for debt, an enterprise value of approximately 10x the estimated 2025 operating EBITDA. Dow's decision to exit the joint venture, which was formed in 2012, is consistent with Dow's best-owner mindset strategy of focusing on its core, high-value downstream businesses. The proceeds from the transaction will be used to support the Company's balanced capital allocation approach. The sale is expected to close in the third quarter of 2025, subject to customary regulatory approvals and other closing conditions. Dow https://corporate.dow.com/en-us.html LANXESS completes sale of its Urethane Systems business to UBE Corporation Specialty chemicals company LANXESS has completed the sale of its Urethane Systems business to Japanese UBE Corporation on April 1, 2025. UBE is a global manufacturer of chemical products and listed at the Tokyo Stock Exchange. All relevant antitrust authorities had granted the necessary approvals for the transaction, which was announced in October 2024. With completion of this transaction, LANXESS has received gross cash proceeds of approximately €500 million. The enterprise value amounts to €460 million. LANXESS intends to use the proceeds to redeem its €500 million benchmark bond which matures in May 2025. The leverage ratio (net financial debt / EBITDA pre) will be reduced to ~3x. “With this sale, we conclude our portfolio transformation and at the same time achieve a substantial further reduction of net financial debt”, says Matthias Zachert, Chairman of the Board of Management of LANXESS AG. LANXESS www.lanxess.com Picture: LANXESS