ASHTABULA, OH/CHARLOTTE, NC – BASF Corp. and Gabriel Performance Products LLC, a U.S.-based specialty chemical company, finalized a transaction transferring the Versamid® trademark to Gabriel, and exclusively licensing the polyamide curing agent technology in the United States. Versamid polyamide curing agents are used for two-component solventborne epoxy applications.
“The Versamid product line is well known within the industry, and this acquisition strengthens Gabriel’s position in the epoxy curing market,” said Seth Tomasch, CEO of Gabriel Performance Products. “It is an excellent complement to our mercaptan product line, and we look forward to serving customers who formerly looked to BASF for epoxy curing agent solutions.”
The transaction with Gabriel follows BASF’s announcement in July that it will close the Dimer and Polyamide Resins unit at the Kankakee, IL, site, exit the business, and divest intellectual property including trademarks. BASF continues to operate the Kankakee site, which supplies products for the Nutrition and Health and Care Chemicals Divisions of the company. BASF intends to work closely with Gabriel to transition customers through March 2016.
BASF will continue to manufacture, market and sell PUR technologies through the back license of the Versamid trademark with Gabriel. Versamid PUR polyurethane resins are used for flexographic and gravure printing ink applications. BASF South America is excluded from this transaction and will continue to manufacture, market and sell polyamide resins under the Versamid trademark in the South American region.