PARIS, FRANCE: Arkema S.A., specialty chemicals and advanced materials company, announced the proposed divestment of Febex, a company specialized in phosphorus-based chemistry, to Belgian group Prayon.

Febex is a global player in phosphorus derivatives (high purity phosphoric acid, sodium hypophosphite and derivatives), used primarily in electronics and in the pharmaceuticals industry. Part of the Performance Additives Business Line and with little integration within the Group’s other activities, Febex reported sales of around €30 million in 2021, employs 59 people, and operates 1 site in Switzerland.

By joining Prayon, an industrial group specialized in phosphorus-based chemistry, the Febex teams will benefit from the Belgian group’s growth ambitions in this area.

This project, which is expected to be finalized in 1st quarter 2023, is subject to information and prior consultation process with employee representative bodies in France and to approval by the relevant Swiss authorities.

Building on its unique set of expertise in materials science, Arkema offers a portfolio of first-class technologies to address ever-growing demand for new and sustainable materials. With the ambition to become in 2024 a pure player in Specialty Materials, the Group is structured into 3 complementary, resilient and highly innovative segments dedicated to Specialty Materials – Adhesive Solutions, Advanced Materials, and Coating Solutions – accounting for some 85.5% of Group sales in 2021, and a well-positioned and competitive Intermediates segment.

Arkema offers cutting-edge technological solutions to meet the challenges of, among other things, new energies, access to water, recycling, urbanization and mobility, and fosters a permanent dialogue with all its stakeholders. The Group reported sales of around €9.5 billion in 2021, and operates in some 55 countries with 20,200 employees worldwide.