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Mexichem buys Vinyl Compounds of the UK


Mexichem has acquired UK-based technical PVC compounder Vinyl Compounds Holdings (VCHL), which supplies to the construction, pipe and profile, footwear and consumer goods industries and generates sales of around $40m. Mexichem said the UK firm


will become part of its $2bn global Vinyl Business Group. The company said the new addition will expand its ability to meet global PVC compound demand and will enable further vertical integration of its Compounds Business Unit operations through VCHL’s stabiliser technologies and


recycled PVC capabilities. “This transaction is aligned


with Mexichem’s strategy of completing bolt-on acquisi- tions that provide us with access to new geographies and end markets, expand our portfolio of specialty products and serve as a platform for future growth, while enhancing returns on invested capital,” said Sameer S Bharadwaj, President of the Compounds Business Unit. Bharadwaj described VCHL


as a company “with a strong management team that has achieved consistent sales growth and has developed a loyal and impressive customer


base.” It operates from a 28,000m2


facility at High Peak


in Derbyshire and has invested more than £5m in compound- ing and R&D equipment over the past four years. It claims a production capacity of more than 80,000 tonnes/year. Mexichem is one of the


world’s largest chemical and petrochemical companies and a leader in the manufacture and supply of plastic piping. The Mexico-headquartered company has operations in more than 30 countries and generates annual sales of around $5.7bn. ❙ www.mexichem.com ❙ www.vinylcompounds.co.uk


Transam makes another Davis-Standard investment


Transam Extrusions, a leading UK-based tubing and profile manufacturer, has invested in its sixth Davis-Standard extruder – in the shape of an EB50 EuroBlue model. Transam, based in Barton- Le-Clay in Bedfordshire, produces a wide range of both flexible and rigid plastic pipes and profiles up to 180mm wide. Over the years, its investments in Davis-Standard equipment include extruders, screw technology and downstream equipment. “The equipment is extreme-


ly reliable, and the screw technology is second to none,” said Russell Brazier, manag-


8


WPC floor plant for Hungary


Graboplast, a Hungary- based plastics extruder, is planning to build a new factory in Gyor that will focus on wood-plastic composite (WPC) products. Construction of the new


facility, in northwestern Hungary, will cost around HUF2bn (US$6.8m) – helped by more than HUF800m (US$2.7m) in grants, said the company. Peter Jancsó, chairman and CEO of Graboplast, said he expected the Graboplast to grow by 2-4% this year. More than 90% of the company’s products are exported, to EU countries such as Germany, Middle Eastern countries and Turkey.


The new plant would


lead to the creation of 50 new jobs, he added. The company recently opened another new plant in Kecskemét in central Hungary. The 760 sq m plant, built at a cost of HUF640m (US$2.2m), employs 50 people and lifts the group’s revenues by around 10%. Graboplast’s experience


ing director of Transam. The new machine was


ordered and delivered within five days, resulting in minimal production delays for Transam’s clients. In addition to the EB50,


Transam bought a custom- built Davis-Standard water


PIPE & PROFILE EXTRUSION | March 2017


bath specifically designed for its requirements. Transam says that it


reinvests a proportion of its annual profits back into the business in the form of new equipment. ❙ www.davis-standard.com ❙ www.transamltd.co.uk


in plastics flooring is based on its long history as a supplier of vinyl sheet floors – for everything from the residential market to sports halls. The company began floor covering production in 1951. It employs around 650 people, across three current plants. ❙ www.graboplast.com


www.pipeandprofile.com


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