OVER 40 YEARS OF HISTORY

Chemicals and Life Sciences
M&A Director

Q2 2021

The newsletter for M&A and corporate development directors
of mid-market chemicals and life sciences businesses

Dear Reader,


Welcome to our second quarterly newsletter of 2021.


Deals are being done. Financial investors are looking to deploy capital and strategic leaders are adjusting their portfolios


2021 looks to set to be an interesting year for M&A and other related strategic initiatives.


Below we have collated corporate development data from the last quarter and thought-pieces on what the year ahead holds in store for the chemicals and life sciences industries.


Wishing everyone health and happiness,


Matt Dixon, CCD Partners

Featured Article - Steve Holland

Were strong 2020 results for chemical distributors a win-win for all stakeholders in the supply chain?

Chemical distributors delivered impressive results in 2020 during the Covid crisis, with increased margins and strong cash flow. 

Former Brenntag Chairman and CEO Steve Holland asks was it a win-win for all stakeholders in the supply chain? 
Read more

Introducing the “Chemical Transformations Podcast: the art of unlocking sustainable commercial potential”

Welcome to CCD Partners’ newly launched Chemical Transformations podcast!

Businesses built on expertise in chemistry or biology often face unique challenges realising and sustaining their full commercial potential. 

We will be interviewing dealmakers and business leaders to learn about the challenges they are facing and the strategies they have employed to get ahead and stay ahead.

In our inaugural episode, CCD Partners Managing Partner Matt Dixon and Senior Advisor Glenn McGuire discuss the sale of Chem32 to PQ Corporation, recent performance trends in the specialty chemicals markets, and how investor confidence has evolved a year on from the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.

Deal Summary

Our focus is on the smaller private market deals that tend to be less reported in major publications. We have tracked more than 40 such M&A transaction announcements in the last quarter. 

Our top six deals from last quarter are:
Target Buyer Seller Target Sector Synopsis / Title
MKVN Chemicals Azelis Private Chemical Distribution Azelis acquires a majority shareholding in MKVN Chemicals and Viet Chemicals
VersaFlex PPG Private Specialty Chemicals PPG Industries acquires KCK manufacturer VersaFlex
CalChem USALCO Private Specialty Chemicals USALCO acquires AlChem and CalChem
Custom Chemical Services LBB Specialties Private Chemical Distribution LBB Specialties LLC Acquires Custom Chemical Services, Inc.
Tennants Fine Chemicals Eternis Fine Chemicals Private Specialty Chemicals Eternis Fine Chemicals Ltd Acquires Tennants Fine Chemicals
Chempro Group Hextar Private Specialty Chemicals Hextar acquires Chempro Group to expand chemical arm

View full list

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Key Appointments

We track the career movement of senior executives instrumental in shaping strategic organisational development through transformative transactions or other means. 

Our top five moves from last quarter are:
Name From To Role
Stephen Oxley KPMG Johnson Matthey CFO
Yan Beynon Siemens Healthineers Solvay Entrepreneur & Chief Digital Officer
Jim Fitterling Dow 3M Board of Directors
Daniele Ferrari Versalis SK Capital Partners Senior Director
Thomas Gangl OMV Borealis CEO

View full list

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Partner Insights

GLENN MCGUIRE

Senior Advisor

Chem32 acquired by PQ Corporation: how business owners can capitalise on a post-COVID uptick

CCD Partners Senior Advisor Glenn McGuire recently advised on the acquisition by PQ Corporation of Chem32, a founder-led supplier of catalyst pre-activation services in the US.

Reflecting on current market conditions and the outlook for the year ahead, Glenn shares his thoughts on how the Chem32 deal is representative of a broader trend as M&A activity picks back up after the initial slowdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic. 
Read full article

Third Party Recommended Reading

Five trends that will shape the 2021 chemical industry
“So much has changed in just a year. Established strategies of the past are no longer relevant. The pandemic exposed industry weaknesses and significantly accelerated transformation programs. Here are five key trends that will shape 2021.”
Read more
Chemical industry leaders: We look to new EU industrial strategy to help us “put the wheels” on the Green Deal
“Policy coherence and regulatory predictability are the “one key thing” the EU chemical industry needs in order to help the EU achieve the EU Green Deal objectives.”
Read more
2021 outlook for life sciences: Six reasons the sector is stronger than ever
“When countries around the world began to lock down last spring, life sciences companies could have opted to minimize their risk, pull back on investments, and weather the storm. Instead, they headed directly into the eye of the hurricane. This led to the development of vaccines, as well as new distribution and tracking innovations.”
Read more
A winning formula for specialty-chemical conglomerates
“An analysis of top-quartile specialty-chemical companies reveals important implications for value creation.”
Read more

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For a more frequent update, our weekly top-five pick of global M&A and senior people moves is also available. To receive our "Chemical Highlights" updates please sign up here. 

For more content from expert voices in our corporate development community, as well as our own thoughts and viewpoints, visit our blog.

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