The paint and coatings industry has witnessed major M&A activity since 2020, including on the raw material supplier and distributor side. 

Roughly 2.5 months in 2021 and there have been several acquisitions.

Most recently, LANXESS acquired Emerald Kalama Chemical for around $1.04 billion (€867 million).

The specialty chemical company last month acquired Paris-based INTACE SAS, a manufacturer of specialty fungicides.

The KRAHN Chemie Group, which is part of the globally operating Otto Krahn Group, acquired majority stakes in six companies from Jollis AB & Partners.

Two of the companies concerned are AmphoChem AB, a Nordic distributor of industrial chemicals, additives and specialty chemicals, and Pemco Additives AB, another Nordic distributor active in the fuels, lubricants and petrochemical industries. 

It had acquired a majority share of InterActive S.A., headquartered in Athens, Greece, and specialized in the distribution of lubricant additives, a year prior. 

JNS-SmithChem, a full-service distributor of specialty chemicals and additives, announced the acquisition of CheMarCo Inc., a specialty regional distributor based in Greenville, SC. 

The expanded distribution territory covers 26 states, including the entire east coast, from New England to Florida and west to Ohio, Oklahoma, and Texas. The product lines focus on the paints, coatings, inks, adhesives, building materials, plastics, rubber, and other specialty chemicals and additives markets.

Pritzker Private Capital announced that it has acquired the Vertellus group of companies, a specialty chemicals manufacturer. 

Ascend Performance Materials purchased Eurostar Engineering Plastics, a France-based compounder with a broad portfolio of flame-retardant engineered plastics and expertise in halogen-free formulations.

Even companies making acquisitions were bought out. 

In October, Barentz International, a global distributor of life science ingredients, agreed to acquire Maroon Group, one of North America's leading specialty distributors – mere months after Maroon Group bought Holland Chemicals, a value-added distributor of specialty chemicals, in July. 

"The deciding factor was that Barentz is already a global business and this creates tremendous opportunities to strengthen our business in North America and internationally," Maroon Group CEO Terry Hill said. "Barentz is well-known across the industry, we share the same philosophy and entrepreneurial DNA, and is the best possible new home for the stakeholders across our business."

Also in October, Covestro signed an agreement to acquire the Resins & Functional Materials business (RFM) from Royal DSM. 

With the acquisition of RFM, Covestro adds a complete range of water-based polyacrylate resins and will expand its technology portfolio to include water-based hybrid technologies, powder coating resins as well as radiation curing resins. 

AOC, a leading global supplier of resins and specialty materials, bought the maleic anhydride business and manufacturing facility in Neal, West Virginia, from Ashland Global Holdings.

Earlier in 2020, Mitsubishi Chemical acquired Gelest, a manufacturer and supplier of silicones, organosilanes, metal-organics, and specialty monomers. 

"Since becoming familiar with Gelest, we have recognized the tremendous capabilities in research and development and production that help create its outstanding position with key customers," said Steve Yurich, president of Mitsubishi Chemical America. 

Nouryon, the former specialty chemicals business of AkzoNobel, acquired both J.M. Huber Corporation's carboxymethyl cellulose – a sustainable, bio-based water-soluble polymer used as a thickener, binder, stabilizer and film former – business as well as the merchant triethyl aluminum (TEAL) business of Sasol, which included the latter's specialty fleet of returnable cylinders.

This came not long after Nouryon sold its re-dispersible polymer powders business offered under the Elotex brand to Celanese. 

Celanese acquired all of Nouryon’s global production facilities for re-dispersible polymer powders across Europe and Asia, all products under the Elotex portfolio, as well as all customer agreements, technology and commercial facilities globally.

“By acquiring Elotex, Celanese will have direct access to relatively fast-growing applications and a customer base that is complementary to our emulsions business," said Todd Elliott, senior VP, Acetyls, Celanese.

Arkema also made two acquisitions in 2020 – one of Fixatti, a company specialized in high-performance thermobonding adhesive powders and of Ideal Work, an Italian company specialized in high-added-value decorative flooring technologies. 

ChromaScape, LLC, a specialty chemicals manufacturer of pigments, colorants and additives, announced the acquisition of Greenville Colorants, LLC, a processor of liquid and powder dyes.