Laporte plc

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

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

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
  1. 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
  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
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