In a move geared at allowing it to make more acquisitions, Dutch chemicals distributor IMCD (Rotterdam; www.imcdgroup.com) is seeking a value of as much as EUR 1.15 bn in an initial public offering (ipo). IMCD – which was bought by Bain Capital (Boston, Massachusetts / USA; www.baincapital.com) in 2010 for a reported EUR 650m – is offering shares on the Euronext Amsterdam for EUR 19-23 apiece. The Bloomberg news agency reports that the distributor will raise about EUR 270m from selling 14.2m new shares, while current shareholders will sell about 8.3m shares. IMCD said it expects the first day of trading to be 27 June.

IMCD has followed an aggressive growth strategy, having acquired some 18 companies in the past three years, including Singapore-based Paceco Industrial Supplies (www.paceco-is.com) – see Plasteurope.com of 22.08.2013 – and the plastics and industrial chemicals distribution business of Malay thermoset moulding compounds distributor Tropichem (Boton Industry Park, Selangor) – see Plasteurope.com of 08.05.2012.

Pieter Van der Slikke, the CEO of the Dutch group which posted sales of EUR 1.23 bn in 2013, said he expected Bain to sell its stake in IMCD at some point, adding that more shares will then be traded publicly. Bain currently has three members on IMCD’s five-member supervisory board.