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Laporte plc was a leading British chemicals business that operated from 1888 to 2000. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.

Laporte plc
IndustryChemicals
Founded1888
Defunct2000
FateAcquired
SuccessorDegussa AG
HeadquartersLuton, UK
Key people
Jim Leng (CEO)

History

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The Company was founded by Bernard Laporte, a German Chemist, in 1888 as a supplier of peroxide to bleach straw boating hats.[1] It subsequently diversified into other aspects of bleaching and commercial laundry chemicals.[1]

In the 1980s it disposed of its manufacturing operations.[2]

In 1993 it acquired Evode Group plc, suppliers of adhesives and specialties.[3] It went on to buy Aztec Peroxides Inc., a US peroxides business, in 1994[4] and Inspec Group plc, suppliers of specialty chemicals, in 1998.[5]

It sold its major divisions, some 55% of the business by revenue, to Kohlberg Kravis Roberts in 2000. These divisions (Pigments and Additives, Formulated Products & Compounds and Computers & Electronics) subsequently became known as Rockwood Holdings Inc.[6]

In December 2000 Degussa SKW, a joint venture between Degussa AG and SKW Trostberg, acquired the remainder of the business.[7] The performance chemicals business was subsequently sold on by Degussa to Cognis.[8]

Operations

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The Company had the following divisions:[9]

  • Pigments & Additives - iron oxide pigments for plastics (based in St Louis) and clay based additives for plastics (Southern Clay Inc.)
  • Formulated Products & Compounds - PVC and TPE materials for data transmission cables, electrical insulation and closure seals for beverages (Alpha Gary Inc.)
  • Computers & Electronics
  • Specialty Chemicals - Peroxides (Aztec Peroxides Inc.)
  • Rockwood Additives is based in Widnes, UK. Here the 2 products Fulacolor and Laponite are produced.
  • Rockwood Additives no longer exists in Widnes, UK. Altana AG acquired the Additives business in October 2013. It is currently operated under the sub division BYK Additives and Instruments.

References

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  1. ^ a b Degussa-Huels buys Laporte outright The Scotsman, 16 December 2000
  2. ^ Laporte travels the long hard road from commodities to specialties Chemical Week, August 1993
  3. ^ Laporte to the rescue Chemistry & Industry, 18 January 1993 [dead link]
  4. ^ Laporte buys Aztec from Phillips, sells powder coatings Chemical Week, 5 January 1994
  5. ^ Laporte plans to buy Inspec for $1bn Wall Street Journal, 1998
  6. ^ Rockwood launched Chemical Market Reporter, December 2000
  7. ^ Degussa to buy Laporte for £1.4bn Independent, 15 December 2000
  8. ^ Cognis buys Laporte Performance Chems Chemical Market Reporter, February 2003
  9. ^ Laporte PLC Sells AlphaGary, Southern Clay Plastics Technology, 1 November 2000