- J.M. Huber Corp.'s Huber Engineered Materials business unit has acquired a calcium carbonate processing facility in Quincy, IL, formerly owned and operated by Omya Quincy Inc.

- Polymer Solutions Inc. completed the sale of its wholly owned subsidiary, Alternative Materials Technology, to Chemcraft Holdings Corp., a subsidiary of Chemcraft International Inc.

Arch Chemicals Inc. announced a definitive agreement to acquire Avecia's Biocides business for approximately $210 million.

Diamond Vogel Paints announced an agreement to acquire Four Seasons Paint

BASF Coatings AG and the Treffert Group of Germany announced agreements under which BASF Coatings will acquire Treffert's Foil Coatings business and Treffert will purchase BASF's Fibre Board Coatings affiliates in Spain and Italy.

The Lubrizol Corp. has completed its acquisition of Avecia's Additives business, a supplier of dispersion additives based in Blackley, UK.

Expanding Economies, Restructuring Moves Help Drive Companies' Sales Growth, Earnings Gains

Chemir Analytical Services, a chemical-analysis testing laboratory, has acquired PRA Laboratories Inc., Ypsilanti, MI.

DuPont Co. has boosted its ownership stakes in the DuPont Red Lion joint-venture automotive-coatings businesses in China in moves the company said "reinforce its position as the leading coatings supplier in the growing Chinese automotive industry."

This Old House Ventures Inc., the producer of the award-winning television program and a magazine title of the same name, announced an agreement with ICI Paints to manufacture a line of paints carrying the "This Old House" brand.