As part of its expansion into southern Europe, Austrian masterbatch specialist Gabriel-Chemie (Gumpoldskirchen; www.gabriel-chemie.com) has acquired Italian masterbatch company TE.MA (Fara Gera d´Adda, Bergamo; www.te-ma-srl.it). Following the acquisition, Gabriel-Chemie has created an Italian subsidiary, Gabriel-Chemie Italia, which will be led by TE.MA founder and MD Afro Palla. Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed.

The newly acquired business produces colour, additive and combination masterbatches, as well as technical compounds. Other areas of expertise include flame protection and stadium seating.

Gabriel-Chemie said that while it previously held a number of key accounts in Italy, the new subsidiary means it can now adopt a nationwide approach. Italy is the third largest market for thermoplastic materials in Europe and demand for masterbatches in the country is forecast to rise by 8% per year to 130,000 t by 2019 from current levels of about 120,000 t, the company says.

The expansion into Italy follows Gabriel-Chemie’s creation of a Spanish subsidiary, Gabriel-Chemie Ibérica, in December 2015 – see Plasteurope.com of 11.01.2016.