Huntsman Corporation (Salt Lake City, Utah/USA) will pay USD 120m to acquire the TPU activities of Morton International Inc. (Chicago, Illinois/USA) picked up by Rohm and Haas (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania/USA) earlier this year in its takeover of Morton. Through the deal with Rohm and Haas, Huntsman will become world´s fourth largest producer of thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs). The family-owned group moved into first place among MDI-based TPU producers with the acquisition of the former ICI Polyurethanes in 1999, including a UK production site at Shepton Mallet.

The Morton business, which produces 10,000 t/y of TPUs at Osnabrück, Germany, and has a US plant at Ringwood, Illinois, will be integrated into Huntsman Polyurethanes (Europe: Everslaan 45, B-3078 Everberg). All parties said they believe the business, which employs 160 in the US, Europe and Asia, will be a better fit with Huntsman than with Rohm and Haas.