ATLANTA – J.M. Huber Corp., Edison, NJ, through its Huber Engineered Materials (HEM) division, has acquired the Martinswerk business of Albemarle Corp. The Martinswerk portfolio is now officially part of the Fire Retardant Additives (FRA) business unit of HEM.
Huber’s largest acquisition in over 10 years, the transaction includes Martinswerk’s manufacturing facility in Bergheim, Germany; more than 470 employees; the Martinal® precipitated and ground alumina trihydrate, and Magnifin® premium precipitated magnesium hydroxide product lines; and a variety of specialty chemical products including Martifin specialty hydrates for paper, Martoxid® aluminum oxide primarily for ceramics, Pergopak® flatting agents and carrier additives, and Compalox® granulated activated alumina.
To ensure a smooth integration, HEM is retaining the current management team at Martinswerk. The FRA business unit will be structured in a regional model with a general manager operating out of Europe.
The Martinswerk acquisition marks the latest in a series of investments in the FRA business by Huber, including the acquisition of the Kemgard® product line from Sherwin-Williams in 2010 and the purchase of the assets of the specialty hydrates business from Almatis in 2012. In 2015, Huber purchased the Safire® nitrogen and phosphorous flame retardant technology from Floridienne Group and Catena Additives.
