Huber Acquires Safire Fire-Retardant Technology

Huber Engineered Materials (HEM), a division of J.M. Huber Corporation, has acquired the Safire nitrogen and phosphorus halogen-free fire retardant technology from Floridienne Group and its subsidiary Catena Additives.

The goal of this acquisition is to allow Huber to integrate the Safire technology within its existing portfolio of halogen-free flame retardants and smoke suppressants and to develop a line of commercial products.

Jerry Bertram, vice president and general manager of Huber’s fire retardant additives business unit, commented, “This acquisition gives Huber the opportunity to work in a new category with nitrogen and phosphorus flame retardants, and we believe the synergistic benefits and value between Safire and many of our current products will be advantageous for customers.”

Huber has now made three acquisitions over the past five years to its fire retardant additives business. The previous two were the 2012 purchase of the specialty hydrate flame retardant business of Almatis and the 2010 acquisition of the Kemgard flame retardant and smoke suppressant business from The Sherwin-Williams Company.