Ineos Acrylics (PO Box 34, Duckworth Street, Darwen, GB Lancashire BB3 1QB), which took over the acrylics business of ICI, has bought Acrylic Products, South Africa´s leading sheet producer, for an undisclosed sum. Acrylic Products employs a total of 250 and has been the licence holder for “Perspex” acrylic sheet since 1942. It manufactures both cast and extruded acrylic sheet, sold under the Perspex and “Lucite” brands, as well as extruding ABS, PE and polycarbonate sheet products. Ineos says it plans to double the size of the business over the next five years.

The acquisition follows hot on the heels of the Ineos purchase, for GBP 11.5m, of the Bonar Polymers acrylic resin operation of Low & Bonar. Most of this business is aimed at the dentistry market and Ineos will use the acquired knowhow to widen the acrylic bead range sold from its Parkersburg plant in West Virginia, USA.