Industry News

To reinforce its high performance thermobonding adhesives business, Arkema has announced the proposed acquisition of Fixatti N.V, a Belgium-based company specialised in high performance thermobonding adhesive powders.

This acquisition will enable Bostik, an Arkema company, to strengthen its global offering of hot melt adhesive solutions for niche industrial applications in the construction, technical coating, battery, automotive and textile printing markets. This project is part of Bostik’s targeted growth strategy in high value added technologies and is perfectly in-line with the Group’s roadmap to become a pure speciality materials player by 2024 – centred around adhesive solutions, advanced materials and coating solutions.

Fixatti operates sites across Europe – in Belgium, Germany and Switzerland, as well as one in China. Worldwide, the company employs 180 people and reports sales of €55 million. Thanks to its grinding, polymerisation and compounding capacities, Fixatti develops and markets a diversified range of high performance, environmentally friendly thermobonding powders.

Fixatti’s copolyester and copolyamide polymerisation capabilities also present strong synergies with one of Bostik’s historic areas of expertise. Following the acquisition of Prochimir in adhesive films in 2019, the geographic and technological complementarity of this acquisition will strengthen Bostik’s high value added thermobonding solutions.

This acquisition is perfectly in-line with the Group’s strategy to complement the organic growth of its adhesive solutions segment with high-quality bolt-on acquisitions. With a significant potential for synergies, it will also contribute to the Group’s ambition to increase this segment’s EBITDA margin to 16% by 2024.

Closing of the deal is expected in the fourth quarter of 2020, subject to approval by the antitrust authorities in the relevant countries.