The next phase in the PMMA market shakeout has kicked off with Rohm and Haas (Philadelphia / USA) announcing plans to sell its 50% share in AtoHaas to joint venture partner Elf Atochem S.A. (HQ: 4, Cours Michelet, La Defense 10, Cedex 42, F-92091 Paris) in exchange for the French group's 50% stake in the NorsoHaas production jv for detergent acrylics. Founded in 1992, AtoHaas manufactures acrylic sheets and compounds, sold in North and South America as "Plexiglas" and in Europe as "Altuglas". It also produces and distributes the "Tuffak" polycarbonate sheets. (Rights to the "Plexigas" trademark in Europe are owned by Röhm GmbH (D-64275 Darmstadt).

Atochem's takeover of AtoHaas, which has annual sales of FRF 3bn and four production sites each in Europe and North America, will give it a 24% share of the acrylic polymers market. The transfer – for an undisclosed sum – is expected to be approved by all authorities during Q 1 1998. Francois Perier, executive vice president of Elf Atochem, said his company "offers the best technological and commercial possibilties for the worldwide expansion of acrylic polymers."

The market can also expect to see the creation of another powerful player when Röhm GmbH and Degussa subsidiary Agomer GmbH (PO Box 1345, D-63403 Hanau) link up following Degussa's merger with Röhm parent Hüls AG (D-45764 Marl). But Agomer supervisory board chairman, Degussa managing board member Heribert Offermanns, told Plasteurope.com an acrylics link "will take time." BASF (HQ: D-67056 Ludwigshafen) recently sold its Resart and Critesa acrylic polymers business to the Ireland-based Barlo group's plastics processing subsidiary IRG Plastics NV (Leukaard 2, B-2440 Geel).