Emerald Performance Materials said it is separating its Polymer Additives and Nitriles groups and merging the businesses with its Emerald Kalama Chemical and CVC Thermoset Specialties groups, respectively.

The Polymer Additives business will now be known as Antioxidants and Accelerators (AOA). 
 
“AOA and Nitriles both have a tenured history in the markets they serve, with well-known legacy brands, extensive technical expertise and North American operations in Akron, Ohio and Henry, Ill.. Separating these businesses will enable us to develop appropriate strategies for each and to support continued growth and better serve our customers,” said Scott Wolff, Emerald Performance Materials chairman and a managing director with American Securities, the private equity firm that owns Emerald.

Emerald previously announced it was exploring the sale of the former Polymer Additives and Nitriles groups.  Emerald’s Board of Directors ultimately determined that retaining the businesses and aligning them with Emerald’s other groups provided the highest value for the organization, per a press release from the company. 

“When Emerald was formed, the Nitriles business and Reactive Liquid Polymers business that is now part of CVC were one entity, so bringing them together again as part of the CVC portfolio was a logical step,"  said Thomas Holleran, president, CVC Thermoset Specialties. "These businesses benefit from a shared manufacturing site in Akron and overlapping technologies and resources, making them a natural and synergistic fit poised for parallel growth.”


Photo courtesy Emerald Performance Materials/Linkedin