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AkzoNobel

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Hoover's Company Profiles:

Akzo Nobel N.V.

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(Euronext Amsterdam:AKZA)
Contact Information
Akzo Nobel N.V.
Strawinskylaan 2555
1077 ZZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Tel. +31-20-502-7555
Fax +31-20-502-7666

Type: Public
On the web: http://www.akzonobel.com
 Employees: 55,590
Employee growth: (2.6%)

Akzo Nobel may be the world's largest paint manufacturer, but it does more than just paint a pretty picture. The company is also among the world's largest chemical manufacturers and salt producers. Akzo Nobel divides its business into three main lines: Decorative Paints, which produces consumer and commercial paints and primarily serves Europe and North America; Performance Coatings, which manufactures marine and protective coatings, packaging coatings, automotive finishes, and industrial coatings; and Specialty Chemicals, which makes pulp and paper chemicals, functional chemicals (flame retardants, crop nutrients), industrial chemicals (salt and chlor-alkalis), surfactants, and specialty starches.

Key numbers for fiscal year ending December, 2010:
Sales: $19,400.9M
One year growth: (2.6%)
Net income: $999.2M
Income growth: 144.6%

Officers:
Chairman: Karel Vuursteen
CEO: Ton Büchner
CFO: Keith Nichols

Competitors:
BASF SE
PPG Industries
Sherwin-Williams

Gale Directory of Company Histories:

Akzo Nobel N.V.

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Incorporated: 1969 as Akzo N.V.
NAIC: 212393 Other Chemical and Fertilizer Mineral Mining;
SIC: 1479 Chemical & Fertilizer Mining Nec; 2812 Alkalies & Chlorine; 2834 Pharmaceutical Preparations; 2841 Soap & Other Detergents; 2851 Paints & Allied Products; 2869 Industrial Organic Chemicals Nec

The Dutch company Akzo Nobel N.V. is a highly diversified conglomerate that conducts business in more than 75 countries. In 2000, the company ranked as world's largest paint manufacturer, as well as a top chemical manufacturer. Akzo Nobel business operations are organized into three major divisions: Pharma, which manufactures contraceptives, fertility drugs, antidepressants, over-the-counter drugs, and veterinary drugs; Coatings, which produces paint, printing inks, and automotive and marine finishes; and Chemicals, the division responsible for producing functional chemicals, pulp and paper chemicals, polymer chemicals, resins, salt, and plastic additives. Akzo Nobel was formed in 1994, by the merger of Akzo N.V. of the Netherlands, and Nobel Industries of Sweden. Its operations are located in the Netherlands, Germany, and the United States.

The merger of Akzo and Nobel represented the culmination of more than a century of acquisitions and mergers between two companies with long histories. Some of the companies that Akzo acquired can be traced as far back as the 18th century. For example, one of the coating units that it acquired, Sikkens, was formed in 1792. Another subsidiary, a food company named Duyvis, was founded in 1806. Akzo's chemical interests in the United States were tied to Armour & Company, a leading meat-packing firm that began operating in the 1860s.

Akzo's foundation, however, was based on Vereinigte Glanzstoff-Fabriken, a German chemical company formed in 1899. In the early decades of the 20th century, Vereinigte established itself in the chemical industry as a leading producer of rayon and various paints and coatings. In 1929, Vereinigte merged with Nederlandsche Kunstzijdebariek (NK), a competing Dutch manufacturer of rayon. The resulting organization was named AKU.

From the 1930s to the 1960s, AKU became a solid market leader in the development and manufacture of synthetic fibers. In addition to rayon, AKU began producing such breakthrough synthetics as nylon and polyester. Chief among the company's significant innovations was the invention of a material called aramid, a derivative of nylon. AKU experimented with this synthetic fiber in the late 1960s.

Indeed, AKU had enjoyed generous profits from its core synthetic fiber products during the 1960s, and its corporate strategy looked sound for the 1970s. AKU joined forces with KZO--a major Dutch producer of chemicals, drugs, detergents, and cosmetics--in 1969, and the resultant organization became Akzo. Further expansion plans on the part of Akzo were thwarted in the early 1970s, however, when actions by the OPEC oil cartel wreaked havoc with petrochemical markets. Akzo's businesses, particularly those related to synthetic fibers, suffered. In addition to these oil-related problems, the fibers market was affected by turbulence from other quarters. During this period, many synthetic fibers became a commodity product, and low-cost Far Eastern manufacturers took control of many industry segments. Burdened by weak demand and manufacturing overcapacity, Akzo's profits plunged. By the late 1970s, some analysts speculated that Akzo was headed for bankruptcy.

Another setback came when in the 1980s, when the company was selling its new synthetic fiber under the name of Twaron. Unfortunately for AKU, the fiber industry leader du Pont, headquartered in the United States, was simultaneously developing the fabric under the name of Kevlar, and du Pont began selling its product first. As a result, AKU was both shut out of the lucrative U.S. market for the product and also faced stiff competition in its home market of Europe. AKU's failure to carve out a market for Twaron proved to be the culmination of the setbacks that adversely affected its synthetic fibers operations throughout the 1970s.

Throughout this turbulent period, Akzo executives scrambled to overcome adversity. They reduced the percentage of revenues attributable to synthetic fibers from more than 50 percent in the early 1970s to less than 30 percent going into the 1980s. At the same time, they tried to supplant income from the struggling fiber division with higher margin products such as paint coatings, noncommodity chemicals, and pharmaceuticals. Akzo executives made another significant move toward reorganizing their operations in 1982, when they appointed Arnout A. Loudon as chief executive of the company. Loudon, a 46-year-old attorney turned executive, had demonstrated an impressive financial acumen in turning around Akzo subsidiaries in France and Brazil. Upon assuming leadership of the company, Loudon initiated an aggressive restructuring strategy designed to stabilize Akzo's unwieldy balance sheet and to ensure the company's long-term profitability.

Among other maneuvers, Loudon further reduced Akzo's emphasis on synthetic fibers to only 20 percent of corporate revenues and boosted its position in coatings and industries related to healthcare. He also decentralized decision-making and eliminated management layers. At the same time, Loudon launched an ambitious acquisition drive in 1984 chiefly designed to increase Akzo's presence in the important U.S. market and to diversify into higher profit-margin chemical businesses. Between 1984 and 1990, Akzo purchased more than 30 companies, most in the United States, at a cost of about $1.8 billion. The units were primarily involved in the production of salt, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals. To fund these purchases, Loudon simultaneously jettisoned poorly performing assets that were worth more than $1.5 billion. By the end of the acquisition campaign, Akzo had emerged as the leading global producer of salt and peroxides and one of the top 20 chemical companies in the world. 1990 sales approached $10 billion as profits surged.

During the early 1990s, Akzo concentrated on improving efficiency. Indeed, compared to chemical companies in Japan and the United States, its operations were bloated, chiefly due to restrictive government and organized-labor regulations in Europe. Gradual improvements in efficiency led to marked success in important divisions such as pharmaceuticals, which captured a key position in the reproductive medicine market. Its most notable product was Desogen, the top-selling birth control formula in the world. Similarly, Akzo enjoyed steady market share gains in some of its paints and coatings divisions. The net result was that Akzo sustained steady sales and profits throughout the early 1990s, despite a global economic downturn.

Going into the mid-1990s, Akzo continued to reduce its emphasis on such low-profit commodities as salt and fibers and to boost its dependence on coatings and specialty chemicals. To that end, Akzo consummated a pivotal merger early in 1994 with Nobel Industries of Sweden. Nobel was a major contender in global paint, coatings, and specialty chemical industries. It operated subsidiaries worldwide and enjoyed a relatively strong position in U.S. markets. The company that resulted--Akzo Nobel N.V.--elevated Akzo's revenue figure by more than 25 percent, gave the new company a leadership role in the global paints and coatings industry, and bolstered the former Akzo's stance in the European and U.S. markets. The former Nobel Industries also was able to reduce costs because it could obtain needed materials more cheaply from Akzo, such as inexpensive access to such raw materials as salt and chlorates.

Akzo's merger partner was originally founded in 1864 by Alfred Nobel, the progenitor of the Nobel Peace prize. Nobel was born in 1833 into a Swedish family that claimed heritage to the 17th-century Swedish prodigy Olaf Rudbeck. Alfred Nobel's father, Immanuel, was a self-educated inventor with an interest in explosives. An unsuccessful businessman, Immanuel was forced to file for bankruptcy in 1832 after the family's home burned down. In 1837, Immanuel moved to Russia, leaving his family behind, to start a new business. There, he invented an explosive device for which demand gradually increased. By 1842, Immanuel had achieved modest success with his invention, and he sent for his family. Alfred's exposure to that environment, combined with his natural interest in chemistry, prompted him to form his own company in 1864 called Nitroglycerin AB.

Alfred's key invention was a process of making nitroglycerin that did not explode during production and handling. However, the perfection of this technique came at a great personal cost for Nobel in that an explosion killed Alfred's brother and four other workers during the testing process. This breakthrough led to Nobel's development of dynamite in 1866, which combined nitroglycerin and an absorbent earthy substance. Nobel went on to create blasting gelatin and smokeless powder, and eventually claimed 350 patents. In an effort to overcome opposition from established gunpowder manufacturers and other competitors, Nobel and several associates formed the Nobel Dynamite Trust in 1886. This cartel eventually dominated five continents and Nobel dynamite factories dotted the globe.

A surprising turn of events occurred for Nobel in 1888 when his brother, Ludwig, died and a local French newspaper accidentally reported Alfred's death instead. To his dismay, Alfred read his own obituary, in which he was described as the inventor of dynamite and the 'merchant of death,' even though most of his explosives were used in nonmilitary applications. This experience motivated Nobel to demonstrate his true intent. Thus, when he died in 1896, Alfred directed that his entire fortune be entrusted to the Norwegian parliament and distributed annually as a reward to individuals who 'shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind.' Subsequently, the Nobel Foundation was established and the first prize was awarded in 1901.

After his death, Nobel's conglomeration of businesses was divided into various corporations. Nobel's Swedish companies evolved into two separate organizations. His original company, Nitroglycerin AB, continued to make explosives. Its name was changed to Nitro Nobel in 1965 before it was bought out by a chemical group controlled by the prominent Wallenberg family in 1978. The resultant organization was called KemaNobel. The other segment of the Swedish Nobel operations became Bofors, a manufacturer of munitions. In 1982, Erik Penser, a young Swedish stockbroker, engineered the purchase of Bofors. Two years later, he purchased KemaNobel, reuniting the two divisions in a company he called Nobel Industries.

In 1986, Penser's company won a five-year, $1.2 billion contract to supply field artillery to the Indian government. Business analysts lauded the deal as one of the largest orders ever secured by a Swedish company until it was discovered that Penser may have made illegal, covert payments of $4.5 million into a secret Swiss bank account to get the contract. To make matters worse, it was discovered in 1987 that Nobel Industries had illegally shipped arms to Iran, Iraq, and other countries not sanctioned for arms trade by the Swedish government. Meanwhile, Nobel's U.S. chemical subsidiary, Bofors Nobel, Inc., filed for bankruptcy in 1985, largely because the U.S. Department of Natural Resources had sued the division for $15 million in environmental clean-up costs. Initially, Bofors Nobel had agreed to pay the clean-up expenses, but once the higher-than-expected costs accrued, the division elected to file for bankruptcy instead.

Despite Nobel Industries's setbacks, Akzo executives viewed the company as a potential asset to their organization. In 1994, Akzo completed the merger of Nobel's six business groups, making Akzo Nobel one of the ten largest chemical companies in the world. Shortly before the merger, Akzo had implemented a sweeping reorganization drive to dismantle the company's five major business divisions and recreate them in four new groups--chemical, fibers, coatings, and pharmaceuticals. Akzo continued to develop its U.S. markets aggressively, while it worked simultaneously to penetrate Asian and South American markets. By this time, Akzo had invested about 33 percent of its resources in the Netherlands, 20 percent in Germany, and 22 percent in the United States, with many of its remaining investments scattered throughout Europe. Akzo Nobel's 1994 sales rose slightly to about $11.5 billion, roughly 5 percent of which was netted as income.

Akzo Nobel faced several challenges as it entered the mid-1990s. In 1995, its pharmaceutical unit, Organon, lost revenues following a scare that its Marvelon and Mercilon oral contraceptive pills were linked to increased risk of thrombosis (abnormal blood clotting). Falling fiber prices, stagnant markets, and declining sales in the coating division also led to a mere 0.3 percent increase in profits in 1996. The firm did make some key partnerships, however, including a joint venture with Courtaulds to develop and market NewCell, a cellulosic filament yarn. The company also spent $240 million to expand its fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) catalysts and hydroprocessing catalysts (HPC) capacity. The capital investment was made to attract partners to its FCC and HPC business. The firm also began restructuring its specialty surfactants business, which had been dealing with overcapacity as well as a stagnant market. As a result, the unit began cutting costs and consolidating production. Akzo also sold its subsidiary Akzo Nobel Salt, Inc. in 1997 as part of its effort to focus on its core operations.

Akzo's restructuring of its pharmaceutical, coatings, and chemical businesses, began to pay off, and the balance sheet in 1997 reflected this. Akzo recorded a 7 percent increase in sales, and operating profits in its pharmaceutical interests climbed by 17 percent. Its coatings and chemicals divisions secured a 27 percent increase in operating profits. In 1998, the firm focused on making key alliances and acquisitions as well as paring back less profitable operations. An agreement with Bayer AG was formed in which the German-based firm would produce ethylene amines exclusively for Akzo. Three printing ink companies--Louis O. Werneke, Werneke & Mulheran, and Label Inks--were purchased to secure Akzo's position as a leading supplier of printing inks in the U.S. market. The company also acquired Courtaulds plc in July 1998 in a deal that created the world's largest coating company. The firm merged its fiber business into a newly created company, Acordis. At the same time, because of poor growth and overcapacity, the firm continued to consolidate its surfactants operations. The company also sold its plastic packaging and laminate and aluminum tubes interests.

A disappointing 1 percent increase in net profits in 1998 led to a renewed focus on integrating its newly acquired firms into its current businesses. The firm's pharmaceutical operations--growing twice as fast as other companies in the industry--also became a major focus. The division had a strong position in the women's healthcare market, and its Organon business operated as the world's fourth largest producer of oral contraceptives. Akzo also strengthened its Intervet division with the purchase of Hoechst Roussel Vet, a deal that doubled the size of its animal healthcare interest. Perhaps the most important move in 1999 was the sale of Acordis to CVC Capital Partners. The deal marked Akzo's exit from the synthetic fiber business and solidified the company's intent to focus on its core divisions--Pharma, Coatings, and Chemicals.

As Akzo entered the new millennium, its Pharma division was the fasting-growing pharmaceutical company in Europe. The unit accounted for 47 percent of Akzo's total profits, and its core operations focused on human and animal healthcare. The company's other divisions also fared well in 2000 despite weakening market conditions. The Coatings division acquired the aerospace and specialty coatings business of Dexter Corporation, which strengthened its position in the global market and significantly increased the size of its aerospace coating operations. The Chemicals division also acquired Hopton Technologies, which was purchased to boost the paper chemicals business in the United States.

Although 2000 was the company's best year in its history, Akzo did have to face an antitrust investigation concerning some of its chemical products. While the company took a charge of $136 million in 2000 for anticipated legal fees and fines, net income increased 25 percent over the previous year. Akzo's strategy for the future included securing leadership positions in its markets, with a continuing focus on its Pharma, Coatings, and Chemicals business units. According to a January 2001 company press release, the firm was, 'sticking to our basic themes of coherence and value. We have created expectations both internally and externally. We now have to live up to them.'

Principal Subsidiaries

Advanced BioScience Laboratories Inc.; Akzo Nobel Coatings Inc.; Akzo Nobel Resins and Vehicles; Akzo Noble Resins Inc.; Akzo Nobel Rheology Additives Inc.; Colbond Geosynthetics; Diosynth Inc.; Eka Chemicals Inc.; Intervet Inc.; Organon Inc.; Organon Teknika N.V.; Rosemont Pharmaceutical Corporation.

Principal Operating Units

Pharma; Coatings; Chemical.

Principal Competitors

PPG Industries Inc.; Imperial Chemicals Industries plc; Dow Chemical Co.; BASF AG.

Further Reading

'Akzo Nobel Buys Coatings,' Chemical Market Reporter, August 7, 2000, p. 3.

'Akzo Nobel's CEO Cees Van Lede in New Year's Address,' Business Wire, January 11, 2001.

'Akzo Nobel Combination Look Like a Perfect Fit,' Chemical Marketing Reporter, April 18, 1994, p. 8.

'Akzo Nobel Offers Premium for Courtaulds,' Chemical Market Reporter, April 27, 1998, p. 8.

'Akzo Nobel Trims Surfactants Unit,' Chemical Market Reporter, October 26, 1998, p. 8.

'Akzo Nobel 2000: Best Year Ever,' Business Wire, February 23, 2001.

Alerowicz, Natasha, 'Akzo Nobel to Grow Drugs and Coating Sectors,' Chemical Week, March 4, 1998, p. 15.

------, 'Akzo's Prescription Pharma Moves to Center Stage,' Chemical Week, June 9, 1999, p. 26.

Fallon, James, 'Acordis Fibers Sold to London-Based Consortium,' Daily News Record, December 3, 1999, p. 21.

Fattah, Hassan, 'Akzo Sees Promise in Alliances,' Chemical Week, June 5, 1996, p. 36.

Gain, Bruce, 'Akzo Noble Buys Werneke Businesses,' Chemical Week, June 17, 1998, p. 8.

Hunter, David, and Lyn Tattum, 'Akzo Shapes Up with a New Organization,' Chemical Week, October 27, 1993, p. 26.

Lawton, Graham, 'Happier Times Ahead?,' Chemistry and Industry, March 17, 1997, p. 203.

Mendes, Joshua, 'A New, Improved Chemical Stock at Half-Price,' Fortune, July 2, 1990, p. 28.

Moskowitz, Milton, The Global Marketplace, New York: Macmillan, 1987.

Reier, Sharon, 'Master of the Hunt: While Most of Europe's Chemical Industry is Hurting, Akzo Surges Ahead,' Financial World, January 5, 1993, p. 26.

Sommers, Nick, 'Akzo Nobel Launches New Generic Pharmaceutical Firm,' Business Wire, September 6, 1994.

Srodes, James, 'Dutch Treat,' Financial World, January 9, 1990, p. 32.

— Dave Mote; Update: Christina M. Stansell


Wikipedia on Answers.com:

AkzoNobel

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Home > Library > Miscellaneous > Wikipedia
Akzo Nobel N.V.
Type Naamloze vennootschap
Traded as Euronext: AKZA
OTCQX: AKZOY
Industry Chemicals
Founded 1994 (1994)
Headquarters Amsterdam, Netherlands
Area served Worldwide
Key people Ton Büchner (CEO), Karel Vuursteen (Chairman of the supervisory board)
Products Basic and industrial chemicals, decorative paints, industrial (re)finishing products, coatings
Revenue €14.64 billion (2010)[1]
Operating income €1.219 billion (2010)[1]
Profit €754 million (2010)[1]
Total assets €20.09 billion (end 2010)[1]
Total equity €9.509 billion (end 2010)[1]
Employees 55,590 (end 2010)[1]
Website www.akzonobel.com

Akzo Nobel N.V., trading as AkzoNobel, is a Dutch multinational, active in the fields of decorative paints, performance coatings and specialty chemicals. Headquartered in Amsterdam, the company has activities in more than 80 countries, and employs approximately 55,000 people. Sales in 2010 were EUR 14.6 billion.[1] Following the acquisition of ICI, the company has restructured in 2 January 2008, and rebranded itself in 25 April of the same year.

Contents

Organization

Company headquarters in Amsterdam

AkzoNobel consists of 19 business units, with business responsibility and autonomy. For managerial purpose these cooperate in three groups, which are supported by one managerial board.[2]

As of January 1, 2011, a nine member-strong Executive Committee (ExCo) was established, which is composed of five members of the Board of Management (BOM) and four leaders with functional expertise, allowing both the functions and the business areas to be represented at the highest levels in the company.

The ExCo includes Chairman and CEO Ton Büchner, CFO Keith Nichols, Leif Darner (responsible for Performance Coatings), Rob Frohn (responsible for Speciality Chemicals), Tex Gunning (responsible for Decorative Paints), Graeme Armstrong (responsible for Research, Development & Innovation), Sven Dumoulin (General Counsel), Werner Fuhrmann (responsible for Supply Chain/Sourcing) and Marjan Oudeman (responsible for HR and Organizational Development).[3] The board holds office in Amsterdam. Prior to August 2007, the group was headquartered in Arnhem.

Due to high revenues from the sales of its pharmaceutical business, AkzoNobel was the world's most profitable company in 2008.[4]

Decorative paints

AkzoNobel is the world's leading decorative paints company. This part of the business is mostly geographically organized:[5]

  • Decorative paints EMEA
  • Decorative paints Southeast Asia and Pacific
  • Decorative paints China and North Asia
  • Decorative paints India and South Asia
  • Decorative paints United States
  • Decorative paints Canada
  • Decorative paints Latin America

AkzoNobel markets their products under various brandnames such as Dulux, Cuprinol, Bruguer, Tintas Coral, Hammerite, Herbol, Sico, Sikkens, International, Interpon, Casco, Nordsjö, Sadolin, Taubmans, Lesonal, Levis, Glidden, Flood, Flora, Vivexrom, Marshall, and Pinotech just to mention a few. These products were used on London's Millennium Wheel, La Scala Opera House in Milan, the Öresund Bridge between Denmark and Sweden, the Beijing National Stadium, Airbus A380, and Stadium Australia in Sydney.

Performance coatings

AkzoNobel is a leading coatings company whose key products include automotive coatings, specialized equipment for the car repair and transportation market and marine coatings. The coatings groups consist of the following business units:[5]

Specialty chemicals

The chemicals group now consists of six business units.[5]

  • Industrial Chemicals (IC), before 1 January 2009 known as Base Chemicals (BC)
  • Functional Chemicals (FC), including former Polymer Chemicals (PC)
  • Surface Chemistry (SC)
  • Pulp and Paper Chemicals, under brand name Eka Chemicals (PPC)
  • Specialty Polymers
  • Regional and Industrial activities

As chemicals producer, AkzoNobel is a world leading salt specialist, chloralkali products, and other industrial chemicals. Ultimately, AkzoNobel products are found in everyday items such as paper, ice cream, bakery goods, cosmetics, plastics and glass. Each business unit has an annual turnover of approx EUR 600–1000 million.

History

AkzoNobel has a long history of mergers and divestments. Parts of the current company can be traced back to 17th century companies.[6] The milestone mergers and divestments are the formation of AKZO in 1969, the merger with Nobel Industries in 1994 forming Akzo Nobel, and the divestment of its pharmaceutical business and the merger with ICI in 2007/2008 resulting in current day AkzoNobel.

AKZO 1792–1994 (Group)

AKZO 1792–1969 (original AKZO companies)

  • 1887 Zwanenberg, pharmaceuticals laboratory in Oss
  • 1923 Organon, pharmaceuticals company founded by Saal van Zwanenberg in Oss.
  • 1838 Noury & Van der Lande, oils and oatmeal company in Deventer
  • 1886 Kortman and Schulte, a chemicals and soda factory was founded by Constant Kortman and Herman Schulte in Rotterdam.
  • 1947 merger of Zwanenberg and Organon to Zwanenberg–Organon, renamed in 1953 Koninklijke Zwanenburg Organon (KZO)
  • 1965 take over of Kortman and Schulte and merger of Noury & Van der Lande with Koninklijke Zwanenburg Organon
  • 1792 Sikkens Lakken, lacquers manufacturer founded by Wiert Willem Sikkens in Groningen, the Netherlands.
  • 1835 Ketjen, sulfuric acid producer founded by Gerhard Tileman Ketjen in Amsterdam.
  • 1918 Nederlandse Zoutindustrie (KNZ, NeZo), salt producer in Boekelo.
  • 1962 merger of Koninklijke Nederlandse Zoutindustrie and Ketjen to Koninklijke Zout Ketjen
Sikkens joints the merger
  • 1967 merger Koninklijke Zout Ketjen and Koninklijke Zwanenberg Organon to Koninklijke Zout Organon (KZO).
  • 1899 Vereinigte Glanßstoff Fabriken, fiber producer in Oberbruch, Heinsberg Germany.
  • 1911 Eerste Nederlandse Kunstzijdefabriek Arnhem, rayon (artificial silk) company founded by Jacques Coenraad Hartogs in Arnhem.
Later renamed Nederlandse Kunstzijdefabriek (Enka)
  • 1928 De Internationale Spinpot Exploitatie Maatschappij (ISEM)[7] manufacturer of spinning devices.
Enka's rayon spinning machines continually breakdown. Its director, Jacques Coenraad Hartogs, turns to Netherlands electrical pioneer and friend Rento Hofstede Crull[8] for a solution. To manufacture the spinning pot, one of Hofstede Crull's companies, De Vijf and Jacques Coenraad Hartogs Nederlandse Kunstzijdefabriek form a joint venture: ISEM. The profit of this joint venture allowed the Nederlandse Kunstzijdefabriek to establish subsidiaries in the United States, the American Enka Company, for example, as a means of also circumventing trade protectionism.[9]
  • 1929 merger of Vereinigte Glanszstoff Fabriken with Nederlandse Kunstzijdefabriek, forming Algemene Kunstzijde Unie (AKU).
  • 1938 integration of ISEM, after Hofstede Crull's death, with the AKU

AKZO 1969-1994

  • 1969 The AKU and the Koninklijke Zout Organon (KZO) merge, forming AKZO.
  • 1970 acquires chemical activities of Amour and Co.
  • 1987 acquires specialty chemicals division of Stauffer.
  • 1992 divest polyamides and polyesters plastics engineering business to DSM.
  • 1993 forms the 50/50 % joint venture Akcros Chemicals - together with "Harrisons Chemicals (UK) Ltd." (Harcros), a subsidiary of Harrisons & Crosfield.
  • 1994 merges with Nobel Industries, forming Akzo Nobel. The new Akzo Nobel has 20 business entities.

KemaNobel 1841-1984

From Stockholms Superfosfat Fabriks - Fosfatbolaget - KemaNord to KemaNobel

  • 1868 Barnängen Tekniska Fabrik AB, soap factory at Bondegatan on Södermalm in Stockholm.
  • 1874 KemaNord chemical company was founded by Alfred Nobel in Stockholm.
  • 1928 Casco, adhesives factory, producing of casein glue, founded by Lars Amundsen (son of brother to Roald Amundsen, the first person at the South Pole) - with help from Marcus Wallenberg - in Kristinehamn
  • 1935 Casco forms subsidiary in Norway.
  • 1946 forms subsidiary in Denmark.
  • 1970 forms subsidiary in Finland, taken over by KemaNord
  • 1970 KemaNord acquires Liljeholmens Stearinfabriks’ chemicals business, Barnängen Tekniska Fabrik and Casco.
Fosfatbolaget changes its name to KemaNord.
Liljeholmens Stearinfabriks’ chemicals businesst becomes a division within KemaNord, KemaNord Specialty Chemicals.
  • 1972 paper chemicals business is combined into one paper chemicals product group within KemaNord Specialty Chemicals.
  • 1973 CascoGard, a product group within Casco, joins KemaNord Specialty Chemicals.
Cascogard develops into the production of agricultural chemicals such as weed killers, insecticides and fungicides.
  • 1863 Nitroglycerin, stearin candles factory is founded by Alfred Nobel in Stockholm.
  • 1965 Nitroglycerin becomes Nitro Nobel.
  • 1978 KemaNord acquires Swedish civil explosives chemical group Nitro Nobel and changes its name to KemaNobel.
The specialty chemicals division KemaNord Specialty Chemicals changes its name to KenoGard.
At that time KenoGard produces organic specialty chemicals for plant and wood protection, disinfection and hygiene, paper production, plastics production, oil production, road construction, fertilizer production and mineral purification.
  • 1978 KemaNobel, Barnängen Tekniska Fabrik acquires Liljeholmens Stearinfabrik.
  • 1979 Casco began cooperation with Norwegian adhesives and explosives group Dyno Industries regarding particleboard resin.
  • 1981 acquires Swedish electronics group Pharos from AGA.
  • 1982 acquires Swedish paints group Nordsjö in Malmö.
  • 1983 combines the food systems groups of KenoGard and Kema Nobel to form Probel.
Probel produces specialty chemicals and systems for agriculture, food and technical industries.
Probel is in turn divided into two areas, Kenogard, for plant and wood protection, and Surfactants, for initiators, detergents, anti-caking and ScanRoad.
  • 1984 Casco formed subsidiary in Singapore, which later opens offices in Malaysia (1989), Thailand (1990), Indonesia (1991), the Philippines (1991), the People's Republic of China (1993), Hong Kong (1994), and Vietnam (1994).
  • 1984 Bofors acquires KemaNobel.

Bofors 1646-1984

  • 1646 Bofors Swedish weapons manufacturer is founded in Karlskoga.
  • 1893 Bofors becomes a company majority owned by Alfred Nobel .
  • 1984 Bofors acquires KemaNobel.

Nobel Industries 1984-1993

Both Bofors and KemaNobel have historic ties to Alfred Nobel, the great 19th century Swedish inventor who was the first to discover a way to detonate the flammable liquid nitroglycerin.

  • 1984 Bofors acquires the majority shareholding in KemaNobel
  • 1985 Bofors integrates the entire KemaNobel group and changes its name to Nobel Industries.
Probel becomes Nobel Biotech within KemaNobel Specialty Chemicals.
KenoGard Specialty Chemicals became KeNobel.
  • 1986 divests business civil explosives, Nitro Nobel.
  • 1986 acquires Swedish paper and pulp group Eka AB, which becomes a business area, Eka Nobel.
As a result Eka becomes a major sodium chlorate producer and expanded its operations to North America.
  • 1988 acquires Berol Kemi, Swedish surface chemistry group, from Procordia
and merges it with KeNobel to form a new business area, Berol Nobel.
  • 1988 merge with the two Swedish holding companies Investment AB Asken and Investment AB D. Carnegie.

Eka Nobel

  • 1990 Eka Nobel acquires Alby Klorat and Stora Kemi from Swedish forest group Stora Kopparberg, Albright and Wilson's paper chemicals division, starts joint venture in India viz. Arjun Chemicals and makes heavy investments in new plants. Eka runs production in 14 countries around the world. Lignox, a patented, hydrogen peroxide bleaching process is introduced.
  • 1991 Eka's j.v in India Arjun Chemicals started the production with fortified rosin soaps intended for the application paper industry.
  • 1991 Eka Nobel's starts hydrogen peroxide production in Venezuela.

Casco Nobel

  • 1987 acquires the majority shareholding in Sadolin & Holmblad, a Danish paints and adhesives group, from ATP, Hafnia, Norsk Hydro, and the Foss and Sadolin families.

Together with Casco and Nordsjo forms the business area, Casco Nobel.

  • 1988 Casco Nobel acquires Parteks adhesives and joint compound operations in Finland and Raison Tehtaats adhesives operations in Finland, and the adhesives company Arkol in Italy.
  • 1989 acquires Swedish inks group G-man from Swedish forest group Stora Kopparberg and merges it with Sadolin Printing Inks to Casco Nobel Inks, later Akzo Nobel Inks.
  • 1990 acquires Crown Berger, English paints group, which became part of Casco Nobel.
  • 1991 Casco Nobel begins cooperation with Martinswerk GmbH regarding production of Lacquer additive Pergopak at Stockvik.

Other business areas

  • 1990 Pharos acquires the American electronics group Spectra-Physics, and change name to Spectra-Physics.
  • 1991 Nobel Industries and Sadolin & Holmblad sells
    • Kemisk Vaerk Koege herbicides activities, KVK Agro Chemicals, to Sandoz,
    • the chemical-technical activities, KVK Chemical-Technical, to Castrol,
    • the only Nordic producer of color and textile pigments Kemisk Vaerk Koege of Denmark to Sun Chemical of USA, part of DaiNippon Inks Japan.
  • 1991 forms a 50/50 % joint venture together with FFV, named Swedish Ordnance, Bofors's electronics activities are gathered in NobelTech.
  • 1992 sells Nobel Consumer Goods business area - mainly Barnängen Tekniska Fabrik, Liljeholms, Sterisol, and Vademecum - to the German group Henkel.
  • 1992 sells its 50 % shareholding in Swedish Ordnance to joint venture partner FFV's new owner Celsius Industries.
  • 1993 sells NobelTech to Celsius Industries and Nobel Chemicals to.[clarification needed]
  • 1994 merges with AKZO, forming Akzo Nobel. Nobel Industries contributes to Akzo Nobel with the business areas
    • paints and adhesives (Casco Nobel),
    • bleaching and paper chemicals (Eka Nobel),
    • surface chemistry (Berol Nobel),
Nobelpharma (Nobel Biotech) and Spectra-Physics, becomes listed on Stockholm Stock-Exchange.
The new Akzo Nobel has 20 business entities.

Eka 1895-1986

  • 1895 Elektrokemiska Aktiebolaget (abbreviated EKA), Swedish for electrochemical factory, is founded by Alfred Nobel (founder of the Nobel Prize), C. W. Collander, and Rudolf Liljeqvist (who becomes Managing Director) in Bengtsfors, Sweden.

The first products are chlorine and alkali.

  • 1924 moves to Bohus, north of Gothenburg, Sweden.
  • 1927 manufactures 3,000 tons of chemicals in Bohus, and starts production of water glass.
  • 1930 adds many new chemicals to the product range; i.e. ferric chloride, hydrochloric acid and hydrogen peroxide.
  • 1951 is acquired by the Swedish forest company, Iggesunds Bruk AB.
  • 1956 starts production of ammonia.
  • 1968 begins new hydrogen peroxide production, based on a Russian license.
  • 1972 invest in a new chlorine-alkali plant in Bohus, with employees totalling 460 employees, and begins with large investments in environmental protection.
  • 1980 begins sodium metasilicate production in Maastricht, the Netherlands; which becomes Eka’s first plant outside Bohus.
  • 1983 grows in paper chemicals, based on Compozil, and established a subsidiary in Finland.
  • 1986 Nobel Industrier acquires Eka.

Sadolin & Holmblad 1777-1987

  • 1777 Holmblad & Co., Danish paints company, founded by Swedish born Jacob Holmblad in Copenhagen.
  • 1907 Sadolins Farver, paints company, founded by Gunnar Asgeir Sadolin in Copenhagen.
  • 1909 Sadolins Farver enters the field of inks - later named Sadolin Printing Inks.
  • 1912 merger of Sadolins Farver and Holmblad & Co. as Sadolin & Holmblad.
  • 1914 Sadolin & Holmblad divide its operations into Sadolin Paints and Sadolin Printing Inks.
  • 1933 founding a joint venture Polish-Danish Ink Factory in Poland, lost the shareholding in 1939.
Sadolin Paints growth
  • 1949 Sadolin & Holmblad Norge A/S in Oslo, Norway.
  • 1954 Sadolin Oy/AB in Helsinki, Finland, Dyo A.S. in Izmir, Turkey, together with Durmuş Yaşar, and opens a decorative coatings factory and marine coatings factory.
  • 1958 Sadolin France S.A. in Paris, France, Sadolin ve Yasarin A.S. in Izmir, Turkey opens an industrial resins factory.
  • 1959 Sadolin Paints (E.A.) Ltd. in Nairobi, Kenya.
  • 1960 buys Farve- og Lakfabrikken Svend Overgaard, A/S in Aalborg, Denmark.
  • 1962 Sadolin Bilfarg, A/B in Stockholm, Sweden, Sadolin GmbH. in Geesthacht, West Germany, Arrigoni-Sadolin S.p.A. in Milan, Italia, Sadolin Paints (Tanzania) Ltd. in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.
  • 1962 buys O.F. Asp Lak- & Fabrik, A/S in Copenhagen, Denmark.
  • 1962 Sadolin ve Yasarin A.S. becomes Dyo ve Sadolin A.S. and opens an automotive refinishes factory, a metal and plast industrial coatings factory and wood finishes factory in Izmir, Turkey.
  • 1964 Sadolin Paints (Uganda) Ltd. in Kampala, Uganda.
  • 1968 Sadolin Paints (Ethiopia) S.P. in Addis Abba, Ethiopia
  • 1968 marketing companies Sadolin (U.K.) Ltd. in Saffron Walden, England (in 1981 moves to Huntingdon); Division Technique du Bâtiment Sadolin S.A.R.L. in Paris
  • 1970 P.T. Danapaints Indonesia in Jakarta, Indonesia.
  • 1970 rebuild Kemo-Skandia, A/S in Copenhagen, Denmark from a chemical factory to a paint factory.
  • 1973 sells Sadolin France S.A. in Paris, France, the company continues with a licensing agreement.
  • 1975 merges Kemo-Skandia, A/S in Copenhagen, Denmark, into Farve- og Lakfabrikken Svend Overgaard, A/S in Aalborg, Denmark.
  • 1975 loses Sadolin Paints (Ethiopia) S.P. in Addis Abba, Ethiopia, which is nationalized.
  • 1976 buys the paint factory Danlac A/S in Copenhagen, Denmark.
  • 1976 Sadolin Paints (Oman) Ltd. in Muscat, Oman
  • 1977 buys an interest in Pars Sadolin Chemicals Ltd. in Tehran, Iran
  • 1977 marketing company Sadolin Produkten B.V. in Rotterdam, the Netherlands - serving Benelux
  • 1978 marketing company Sadolin A/G in Zürich, Switzerland - serving Austria and Switzerland.
  • 1980 sells Sadolin Paints (Oman) Ltd. in Muscat, Oman, the company continues with a licensing agreement.
  • 1981 buys an interest in the paint factory Chemcraft Sadolin Inc. in Port Hope, Ontario, Canada.
  • 1982 buys Mercandia Sie's Farve- & Lakfabrik, A/S in Copenhagen, Denmark.
  • 1982 sells Sadolin Paints (Tanzania) Ltd. in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, and Sadolin Paints (Uganda) Ltd. in Kampala, Uganda, the companies continues with licensing agreements.
  • 1983 Sadolin of America, Inc. and Sadolin Technology. in Greensboro, North Carolina, USA.
  • 1984 sells Pars Sadolin Chemicals Ltd. in Tehran, Iran, the company continues with a licensing agreement.
  • 1984 buys Sadolin Paint Products, Inc. in Walkertown, North Carolina, USA.
Sadolin Printing Inks growth
  • 1946 Sadolin Fargfabrik, AB in Stockholm, Sweden.
  • 1955 Sadolin Painovarit Oy in Helsinki, Finland.
  • 1960 Sadolin Trykkfarvefabrikk A/S in Oslo, Norway.
  • 1967 Dyo ve Sadolin A.S. makes an ink factory in Izmir, Turkey.
  • 1977 buys Corona Trykfarver in Copenhagen, Denmark.
  • 1986 Sadolin Iberica S.A.. in Barcelona, Spain.
Saldolin other activities
  • 1934 founding the Danish color and textile pigments and herbicides company Kemisk Vaerk Koege (KVK) or Chemical Works Koege .
  • 1946 becomes a parent company, when Kemisk Vaerk Koege is transferred to a new subsidiary company
  • 1948 co-founds a chemical factory in Copenhagen, Denmark, Kemo-Skandia, A/S.
  • 1958 sells 50 % of its shareholding in Kemisk Vaerk Koege, A/S (KVK) to the American pigment group Inmont.
  • 1959 takes full control over Kemo-Skandia
  • 1960 sells consumer and industrial adhesives business and the Danish 3M agency to Lars Foss,
who founds Lars Foss Kemi (the 3M agency is in 1963 sold to 3M.
  • 1971 Sadolin & Holmblad buys back the 50 % shareholding in Kemisk Vaerk Koege, A/S (KVK) from Inmont.
  • 1975 Sadolin & Holmblad merger with Lars Foss Kemi, A/S in Fredensborg, Denmark,
renames the business to Sadofoss.
Also included in the merger is "Espe-Foss Oy/AB" in Helsinki, Finland, renamed in 1977.
  • 1976 founding the adhesives factory Sadofoss S.A. in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
  • 1987 Nobel Industries acquires Danish paints group Sadolin & Holmblad.

Berol Kemi 1937-1988

  • 1937 Swedish producer of coatings for fishing lines Berol is founded by fishing enthusiast Bernström and his friend Olson, a chemist, to make coatings to reinforce cotton fishing lines in Södertälje, and within a few years, Berol, whose name is derived from the first letters of the founders' last names, is established as a manufacturer of water-proofing agents for shoes, leather jackets and sheepskin.
  • 1943 Berol, now with six employees, extended its product range to include products to protect food from being destroyed by wet conditions for the defense industry.
  • 1945 Berol moves to Mölndal, and begins producing non-ionic, surface active products for washing powder as well as adhesives and paint improvers.
  • 1945 Mo och Domsjö AB (MoDo) buys Berol. MoDO, a Swedish forest products company, was preparing to produce ethylene glycol from its paper mill waste products in Örnsköldsvik, .
  • 1960 MoDo builds a petrochemical ethylene plant in the ice-free, deep water port of Stenungsund, Sweden, in an agreement with Stockholms Superfosfat Fabriks and the U.S. oil company Exxon (Esso). Over the course of the decade, MoDo buys more chemical companies, where of some of them gets integrated within Berol.
  • 1971 MoDo consolidates its Swedish chemicals companies into a new company called MoDoKemi, headquartered in Stenungsund, the Berol name disappears as a registered company.
  • 1973 Statsföretag buys MoDoKemi. Statsföretag, a Swedish state's private holding company, (later called Procordia), changes the name to Berol Kemi.
  • 1974 Berol Kemi buys from MoDo the Swedish production units of cellulose derivatives at Domsjö, near Örnsköldsvik.
  • 1979 Berol Kemi made major investment made in modernizing and expanding cellulose derivatives plant in Domsjö.
  • 1980 Berol Kemi participates in founding of Oleochemicals Sdn. Bhd. in Malaysia.
  • 1988 Bofors acquires Berol Kemi.

Crown Berger 1770-1990 (entered Nobel Industries, 1990)

  • 1788 John Hall & Sons founded.
  • Smith & Walton is founded.
  • 1818 Richard Hilton
  • 1844 Potter & Co. (Charles Potter and Harold Potter) acquired xx from Richard Hilton
  • 1877 The wallpaper company Lincrusta is founded by Frederick Walton.
  • 1887 The wallpaper company Anaglypta in Lancaster is founded by Thomas J Palmer and the Storey Bros.
  • 1899 The Wallpaper Manufacturer’s Company (WPM) is founded.
  • 1915 The Walpamur Company is created by as the paint company of The Wallpaper Manufacturer’s Company (WPM).
  • 1915 The Walpamur Company acquires Kinder & Co.
  • 1929 The Walpamur Company acquires Arthur Sanderson & Sons.
  • 1931 Anaglypta and Lincrusta merged under the name of Relief Decorations, and at the same time became part of The Wallpaper Manufacturer’s Company (WPM).
  • 1963 The Walpamur Company acquires Smith & Walton.
  • 1965 Reed International takes over The Wallpaper Manufacturers’ Company (WPM).
  • 1965 Crown Decorative Products, a new division within The Wallpaper Manufacturers’ Company (WPM), exist of Polycell, Sanderson & Sons and Smith & Walton
  • 1975 The Walpamur Company changes its name to Crown Decorative Products.
  • 1980 Crown Decorative Products acquires Relief Decorations.
  • 1986 Akzo Coatings acquires Permoglaze.
  • 1987 Williams Holdings acquires The Wallpaper Manufacturers’ Company (WPM).
  • 1760 Lewis Berger & Sons founded.
  • 1840 Jenson & Nicholson founded.
  • Berger, Jenson & Nicholson is founded by the merger
  • 1988 Williams Holdings from Hoechst acquires Berger, Jenson & Nicolson and merged with The Walpamur Company creating Crown Berger.
  • 1989 Williams Holdings acquires Jacoa from Ward White (UK) and merged into Crown Berger.
  • 1990 Nobel Industries acquires Crown Berger Ltd. from Williams Holdings, and is split into several businesses.
    • Crown Berger Decorative Paints becomes Crown Nobel Decorative Paints Division, an independent division for decorative coatings.
    • Crown Berger Industrial Coatings and RCL becomes part of Casco Nobel Industrial Coatings Division,
    • Crown Inks becomes part of Casco Nobel Inks Division.
    • Sadolin Nobel UK continues as part of Sadolin Nobel Decorative Paints Division.
  • 1991 Nobel Industries acquires MacPherson Paints is acquired by from Kemira and becomes part of Crown Nobel Decorative Paints Division.
  • 1995 Akzo Decorative Coatings of Akzo Coatings, Crown Nobel Decorative Paints Division of Crown Berger Ltd. and Sadolin Nobel UK Ltd. makes up the new Akzo Nobel Decorative Coatings Ltd.
  • 2001 Crown Inks is sold, in line with Akzo Nobel's exit from the ink industry (now part of Flint Group)
  • 2001 Relief Decorations, wallpaper manufacturer with the brands Anaglypta and Lincrusta is sold to Imperial Home Décor.
  • 2003 Imperial Home Décor is taken over by Crown Wilman Vymura Ltd.

Akzo Nobel 1994–2007/2008

  • 1994 merger of AKZO and Nobel Industries, forming Akzo Nobel
divests fine and pharma chemicals business area Nobel Chemicals,
divests biotech business area Nobel Biotech
divests electronic business area Spectra-Physics.
  • 1995 divests PET resins business to Wellman, Inc..

Courtaulds 1826–1998

Main article: Courtaulds
  • 1826 British silk and crepe manufacturer Courtaulds founded by Samuel Courtauld.
  • 1990 Courtaulds separates itself into two businesses, viz., Courtaulds Textiles for apparel manufacture and Courtaulds plc for fibres and chemicals.
  • 1998 Akzo Nobel acquires Courtaulds UK, a chemical company with leading positions in industrial coatings and in man-made fibers.
EU forces sale of Aeronautical films and sealants businesses to allow completion.
November 1998 , Akzo Nobel divests Courtaulds industrial coatings
Industrial coatings produces plastic packaging, laminate, aluminium tubes, architectural coatings and in USA, packaging coatings, plastic tubes, performance film and aerospace coatings and sealants businesses.

Fibres

  • September 1998 forms a new Fibres Group by mergering Akzo Nobel Fibres and Courtauld Fibres under the name Acordis.
  • January 1999 makes Acordis a stand-alone group within Akzo Nobel by dissolving the Fibres Group.
  • December 1999 divests Acordis to CVC Capital Partners.

Pharma

  • 1999 acquires the ethical pharmaceutical business of Japan-based Kanebo,
acquires Italian pharmaceutical manufacturers Farmaceutici Gellini
and acquires Nuova ICC, the veterian pharmecutical group Hoechst Roussel Vet from Hoechst
and divests its shareholding in Rovin Pharmaceuticals.
  • 2007 Organon pharmaceutical business sold to Schering-Plough for EUR 11 billion.

Chemical group

  • 1996 sells crop protection business to Nufarm.
  • 1998 acquires the remaining 50% of the joint venture Akcros Chemicals (PVC additives)
and acquires the amides business of South Korean chemical company Daejen Fine Chemicals,
sells Soda Ash business to Brunner Mond and Arjun chemicals India, part of Eka Chemicals.
Arjun chemicals remains a licensee for paper sizing chemicals.
  • 1999 Pulp & Paper Chemicals acquires Korean paper chemicals business,
Polymer Chemicals becomes worldwide distributor of the specialty additive products CIRS SpA,
AkzoNobel Chemicals starts joint venture with Coin of Taiwan on dicumyl peroxides (DCP) and cumene hydroperoxides (CHP)
and divests its Dianol bisphenol A business
and disinvests its 50% stake in Akzo-PQ Silica silicate business to joint-venture partner PQ Corporation.
  • 2002 divests printing inks business to the management and NeSBIC Buy Out Fund.
  • 2004 divests Catalyst business to Albemarle Corp.
  • 2005 divests Ink & Adhesive Resins to Hexion.
  • 2007 divests Akcros Chemicals to GIL Investments
and disinvests its 50% stake in Flexsys rubber chemicals to joint-venture partner Solutia.

Coatings

  • 1999 establish joint venture with Nippon Paint Company of Japan on coil coatings,
finds a joint venture partner for Akzo Dexter Aerospace Finishes (AD Aerospace Finishes), for 40 % The Dexter Corporation
  • 2004 diverst Industrial Adhesives's two-component polyurethane adhesives to Sika
divests Coatings Resins to Nuplex Industries.
  • 2005 divests UV/EB Resins to Cray Valley.

Paints

  • 1998 acquires BASF's decorative coatings business in Europe, Turkish paint company Marshall Boya
increases it shareholding from 5 % to 60 % in Tunesian paint company Astral.
  • 1999 acquires the majority shareholding in American paint company Coatings & Chemicals Corp. (CCC).
  • 2006 acquires the quoted Canadian Coatings company SICO Inc..
  • 2007 acquires the Canadian Coatings company Chemcraft International, Inc (founded 1976),
which from 1981 to 1994 was known as Chemcraft Sadolin, Inc, owned 40 % by Sadolin & Holmblad.
  • 1999 Akzo Nobel divests Akzo Nobel Information Services.
  • 2007 Akzo Nobel delists its shares from the US stock market (NASDAQ).

Imperial Chemicals Industries (ICI) 1926–2007/2008

Main article: Imperial Chemical Industries
  • December 1926: Four major chemical companies in Great Britain merge to become Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI): British Dyestuffs Corporation, Brunner, Mond & Company, Nobel Explosives, and the United Alkali Company.[11]
  • 1927 ICI opens for business with 33,000 employees in five main product areas: alkali products, explosives, metals, general chemicals, and dyestuffs.
  • 1928 establishes its Head Office at Millbank in London[11]
  • 1929 signs a deal with I.G. Farben, establishing production quotas for nitrogen, the main ingredient in fertilizer.
  • 1933 "discovers" polyethylene, which is later patented and sold as an insulating material.
  • 1935 agrees to let I.G. Farben exclusively sell nitrogen in parts of Asia, Europe, and South and Central America, due to declining demand for fertilizer,
  • 1948 ICI and DuPont end cooperation on technical information, prices and markets, as result of a U.S. antitrust suit,
  • 1952 opens a huge chemical complex in Wilton, Teesside, England.
  • 1965 begins an ambitious building plan in Britain, Germany, and the United States.
  • 1972 Britain joins the Common Market, ICI focusing its attention on the United States.
  • 1977 continues its American investment, with acquisitions that include a paraquat plant in Bayport, Texas.
  • 1982 Sir John Harvey-Jones becomes chief executive,
the company's focus changes from outdated products to drugs and specialty chemicals.
  • 1986 focusses to paint and specialty products with the purchase of Beatrice's Chemical division and Glidden Paint.
  • 1993 demerges its bioscience businesses, splitting into two the publicly listed companies: ICI and Zeneca,
Zeneca later merges into AstraZeneca,
  • 1997 buys its biggest-ever acquisition from Unilever four businesses: National Starch, Quest, Unichema, and Crosfield
begins the divestment of its bulk commodity businesses.
  • 1999 merging five ICI businesses, forms a health and personal care products company, Uniqema.
  • 1999 sells polyurethanes, the titanium dioxide, the aromatics businesses and its share of the olefins supply at Wilton to Huntsman
  • 2007 sells Uniquema
  • 2008 Akzo Nobel acquires English Imperial Chemical Industries plc and rebrands the company to AkzoNobel.

AkzoNobel 2008 and later

  • 2009 Akzo Nobel divests Chemicals Pakistan to KP Chemical.
  • 2010 AkzoNobel's rebrand was formally recognised when they appeared on the shortlist of the Transform Awards for rebranding and brand transformation.[12]
  • June 2010 AkzoNobel divests National Starch business to Corn Products.

See also

Portal icon Companies portal
  • Herbol industrial coating brand AkzoNobel
  • Twaron trade name aramid synthetic fiber
  • Teijin Aramid producer of Twaron, former company AkzoNobel
  • GLARE composite material patented by AkzoNobel

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Annual Results 2010". AkzoNobel. http://www.akzonobel.com/system/images/AkzoNobel_Q4_2010_Report_tcm9-55264.pdf. Retrieved 17 February 2011. 
  2. ^ Jonathan Steffen, ed. (2008) (in Dutch). Tomorrow's Answers Today. The history of AkzoNobel since 1646. Amsterdam: Akzo Nobel N.V.. pp. 280. ISBN 978.90.5730.622.8. 
  3. ^ "AkzoNobel Fact File 2011". AkzoNobel. http://www.akzonobel.com/system/images/AkzoNobel_Fact_File_tcm9-60501.pdf. Retrieved 19 July 2011. 
  4. ^ Top companies: Most profitable CNNMoney.com. Retrieved on March 4, 2009.
  5. ^ a b c News and Views. Amsterdam: Akzo Nobel. 11 January 2008. 
  6. ^ Tomorrow's answers today, AkzoNobel 2008, ISBN 978-90-902288-3-9, English version
  7. ^ Jaap Tuik. Een bijzonder energiek ondernemer-Rento Wolter Hendrik Hofstede Crull (1863-1938): pioneer van de elektriciteits voorziening in Nederland Zutphen, The Netherlands: Historischcentrumoverijssel & Walburg Pers, 2009. pp.: 137-138 ISBN 978.90.5730.640.2; also http://www.enka-ede.com/IMSE.htm
  8. ^ http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rento_Hofstede_Crull (Dutch)
  9. ^ http://southern.railfan.net/ties/1961/61-10/enka.html
  10. ^ AkzoNobel company history, fundinguniverse.com
  11. ^ a b "ICI: History". ICI. http://www.ici.com/History. 
  12. ^ "Shortlist announced for the Transform Awards for rebranding". Communicate magazine. January 2010. http://www.communicatemagazine.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=886:shortlist-announced-for-the-transform-awards-for-rebranding&catid=1:stories&Itemid=115. 

External links

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Coordinates: 52°20′24″N 4°52′16″E / 52.34°N 4.87111°E / 52.34; 4.87111


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