ACQUISITIONS/MERGERS

Groupe Laperriere & Verreault Inc. (GL&V) has announced its acquisition of Dorr-Oliver International. Connecticut-based Dorr-Oliver has subsidiaries in Germany, Great Britain, France, Australia, the Netherlands, Chile, and Mexico, as well as offices in Brazil, China, and South Africa. Dorr-Oliver develops technological solutions for liquid-solid separation based on centrifugation, sedimentation-flotation, and filtration.

Georgia-Pacific Resins Inc. (GPRI ), a supplier of chemical products for the building products and pulp and paper industries, has acquired Actrachem L.P., headquartered in Bedford Park, Ill. Actrachem manufactures specialty chemical additives for metalworking fluids, textile chemicals, and other specialty markets.

The acquisition by Valumet Fibertech (formerly Sunds Defibrator), Sweden, of Kvaerner Panel Systems GmbH, Germany, and is Belgian subsidiary, De Mets N.V., has received the necessary government and board approvals. Combined with its acquisition of Kùsters Press Div., the Valmet Fibertech Group, a business area within Metso Corp., confirms its commitment to the panelboard industry.

Asten and JWI Group have completed their merger, forming AstenJohnson. The new organization is designed to broaden product capability, strengthen research and development efforts, and enhance worldwide distribution. AstenJohnson will work with its European-based partner, Heimbach, to be a global supplier. With the completion of the merger, all paper machine clothing, specialty fabrics/filtration, and filaments plans will operate under the AstenJohnson name.

Tomah Products has purchased Shell Chemical’s pulp and paper chemical business, its technology, and the rights to the Nonatell trademark. Nonatell products are sold for the deinking of old newspapers and mixtures of old newspapers, magazines, and office paper. Tomah Products also purchased Shell’s Nonidet industrial surfactant product line and the right to produce alcohol ethoxylates that will be sold under the new Tomadol tradename. In addition, Tomah has purchased production expertise and Shell’s specialty chemical plant in Reserve, La., where these products are manufactured.

Process Chemicals LLC, headquartered in Tampa, Fla., has acquired PhilChem Inc. of Greer, S.C., a producer of textile and paper chemicals. PhilChem is a supplier of defoamers for the pulp and paper industry. Process Chemicals will combine PhilChem with SSC Industries, an Atlanta-based textile and paper chemical company acquired earlier this year.

PaperExchange.com, an Internet trading marketplace for the pulp and paper industry, has acquired MPX Inc., the developer of mpexchange, an Internet-based, third-party exchange for the buying and selling of white paper grades. The acquisition expands PaperExchange.com’s existing user base and fortifies the company’s presence in printing and writing grades.

Motion Industries, a Birmingham,Ala.-based distributor of bearings, hose products, and mechanical, electrical, and fluid power transmission equipment parts has acquired the mechanical power transmission division of John M. Forester Co., Rochester, N.Y.

AGA Gas Inc. has acquired Avon Oxygen & Supply Co., an independent distributor of industrial gases and welding supplies in Lima, Ohio.

Asahi/America Inc., a manufacturer of thermoplastic fluid handling systems, has acquired the double containment piping business of Fluid Controls, Huntsville, Ala. The agreement will create the Fluid Controls Div. of Asahi/America.

 

EXPANSIONS/MODERNIZATIONS

Greene, Tweed & Co. is expanding adjacent to its Kulpsville, Pa., headquarters. The new building will be a 14,000 ft² manufacturing building, housing a new “mill room,” a “preform” area, and an expanded product testing facility. An additional 4,000 ft² will be added to the company’s existing mill room. Company officials anticipate that the mill room expansion project will be completed by the end of this year. Greene, Tweed & Co. is a multinational manufacturer of specialty sealing products and engineered plastics.

Press Technology & Mfg. Inc., Springfield, Ohio, has acquired an additional 30,000 ft² of manufacturing space to handle orders of screw presses and other dewatering equipment.

Birmingham, Ala.-based Motion Industries, a distributor of bearings, hose products, and mechanical, electrical, and fluid power transmission equipment parts, has opened a new branch in Crossett, Ark., as well as a new fluid power repair and electrical shop in Dallas, Tex.

 

JOINT VENTURES

Trace Laboratories-Central and Thermotron Industries have announced a partnership that will offer accelerated stress test (AST) services to manufacturers. The new AST system is manufactured by Thermotron and will be housed at Trace’s Palatine, Ill., facilities. The new test system will provide a wide range of testing to manufacturers, including accelerated stress tests, step stress testing, highly accelerated life testing (HALT), highly accelerated stress screening (HASS), environmental stress screening (ESS), and other tests that might be used to ruggedize a product.

Primavera Systems, a developer of integrated, scalable, project management software solutions, has announced that it has formalized a strategic development partnership with Integrated Management Concepts (IMC) and C/S Solutions Inc. (C/SSI) to strengthen cost and schedule performance management. The combined solution of Primavera Project Planner for the Enterprise, IMC’s MicroFusion Millenium, and C/SSI’s wInsight will enable project and program managers to know, at every step in the project, whether the progress achieved to date is in line with the baseline plan.

Sternson Ltd. and Raisio Chemicals Americas have announced the formation of a strategic alliance to supply poly aluminum chloride (PAC) products in North America. Sternson Ltd. is a supplier of PAC products to North American industrial markets. Raisio Chemicals is a supplier of PAC and other pulp and paper chemicals.

Camstar Systems Inc., an independent vendor of manufacturing execution systems (MES) software for paper and other industries, has formed alliances with the following companies in the first half of 1999: J.D. Edwards, Rockwell Automation, Intellution, and Compaq.

PeopleSoft has announced that it will continue its partnerships with Data Collection Systems Inc. (DSCI) of Eden Prairie, Minn., and Intermec Technologies Corp. of Everett, Wash., as its bar code software and hardware vendors on the release of PeopleSoft 8.0. The cooperative effort is marketed under the name Data Collection Advantage for PeopleSoft.

MRO.com, a provider of MRO e-commerce systems and a subsidiary of PSDI, has announced that its mroSupplier product will serve as the platform for SKF’s Endorsia.com, a private Internet-based online procurement network for industrial goods and services. Sweden-based SKF is a supplier of bearings, seals, and services.

GenCorp. announced its performance chemicals business has formed a strategic alliance with PolymerLatex, a joint venture between Bayer AG and Degussa-Hùls AG. With GenCorp. in the U.S. and PolymerLatex in Europe, the alliance will serve multinational customers who want single source supply arrangements.

Primavera Systems, a developer of project management software solutions, has formed a partnership with Purcha-sePro.com, a provider of online business-to-business procurement solutions, to create PrimeContract.com, an e-commerce marketplace for construction companies, subcontractors, projects owners, and suppliers.

optAmaze.com, a developer of web-enabled production scheduling and decision-support services, announced that it is seeking an alliance with a single major player in the ERP, supply-chain optimization, manufacturing, or production scheduling software domain. optAmaze.com has developed a web-based service for trim optimization and transportation freight optimization that is available through a standard web-browser.

 

MARKETING/LICENSING

Thermo Black Clawson has announced that Peacock Mechanical Services Div., Montreal, Que., has been named Authorized Service Center for Thermo Black Clawson equipment. Peacock operates a network of six service centers across Canada in Dartmouth, Montreal, Mississauga, Edmonton, Calgary, and Fort St. John.

Iggesund Tools Inc. has entered a sales representation agreement with Integrated Process Solutions LLC (IPS). IPS will provide sales, technical, and applications support for the midwest U.S. Operating from offices in Vicksburg, Mich., and Merrill, Wis., IPS is a manufacturer’s representative and consulting company that provides technology solutions to pulp and paper mills.

Andritz AG and Hadwaco Ltd. Oy have signed a cooperation agreement to jointly market and develop new, more efficient systems for water loop closure and internal process water purification in the pulp, paper, and fiberboard industry. These systems involve optimization of the overall production process, effective pulp washing, water loop separation, and a strict counter-current water flow concept.

Hewlett-Packard Co. and Siemens have announced that Siemens Automation & Drives Group (A&D) will license HP’s embedded virtual machine software, ChaiVM. Siemens A&D will embed ChaiVM into its industry-leading Sicomp microcomputer systems for industrial automation applications.

Eastman Chemical Co. has announced the conclusion of an agreement to license its proprietary Energex polyethylene technology to Chevron Chemical Co. LLC.

 

PRICING

Air Products and Chemicals Inc. has increased prices of all grades of polyvinyl alcohol by 5 cents/lb in the U.S. and Canada, and $100/mton outside North America. Also, Air Products Polymers L.P. has increased prices of its vinyl acetate-ethylene, vinyl acrylic, polyvinyl acetate homopolymer, polyvinyl acetate copolymer, and ethylene-vinyl chloride emulsions sold to U.S. and Canadian markets by 1.5 cents/wet lb. In addition, Air Products Polymers will increase prices of acrylic and acrylic copolymer emulsions sold to the same markets by 3 cents/wet lb.

The Specialty Synthetic Polymers Div. of National Starch and Chemical Co. has increased its prices for base resin emulsions due to increases in raw materials costs. Prices for polyvinyl acetate homopolymer, vinyl acrylic copolymer, and ethylene vinyl copolymer emulsions will increase by 1.5 cents/wet lb. Acrylic emulsions will increase by 3 cents/lb.

 

NAME CHANGES

Mountain Systems Inc. (MSI) has renamed its “GradeBook Application Suite” to “Proficy for Manufacturing.”

 

NEW COMPANIES

Vivendi Water has combined the operations of the North American water industry’s two largest outsourcing companies: USFilter’s Operating Services Group and Generale des Eaux’s Professional Services Group (PSG). The new company will be named USFilter Operating Services.

Efibre.com has launched the first auction web site designed to connect buyers and sellers of papermaking fibers. The site will provide a central and cost-effective means to buy and sell market pulp, off-grade pulp, and pulp substitutes.

 

TECHNOLOGY

BASF has begun U.S. production of its alkyl phenyl ethoxylate (APEO)-free Afranil SLO defoamer and stock deaerator in direct support of its NAFTA customers. This production is part of BASF’s plan to provide reliable, quality sources of its products close to customer markets in the NAFTA region. U.S. production of Afranil SLO anticipates emerging demands on pulp and paper mills from federal, state/provincial, and local governments who are pressing for more environmentally responsible products.

 

REORGANIZATION

GenCorp has announced that it will spin off its polymer products businesses into a separate, publicly-traded company. Under the plan, GenCorp will continue to operate Aerojet, its existing aerospace, defense, and fine chemicals segment, as well as its automotive vehicle sealing business unit. The Torrington Co., a producer of bearings and precision components, is creating a new market-focused organization with three new divisions that will focus on key global markets. The newly formed Automotive, Industrial, and Aftermarket units bring resources and commitment to their specific industries. They will replace the three former product divisions: Fafnir Bearings Div., Needle Bearings Div., and Precision Components Div.

ARC Advisory Group has announced the formation of a Merger and Acquisition Services Group, as part of an endeavor to provide a broad spectrum of advisory services to clients.

To have an announcement or press release considered for publication in Supplier News send the release or notice to Pulp &Paper magazine, 525 Marekt Street, Ste. 500, San Francisco, Calif., 94105; fax: (415) 278-5389