Albemarle is a global speciality chemicals and chemical intermediates manufacturer with research facilities in the US and Belgium and manufacturing facilities predominantly in the US, but also in France, Belgium and Japan. The company has sales of around $2.5bn and approximately 3,700 employees in 2008.
History
Albemarle was founded in 1887 as the Albemarle Paper Manufacturing Company and later developed as a chemicals manufacturer. In 1962 it acquired the Ethyl Corporation of Delaware, US in a reverse takeover to form the Ethyl Corporation (Virginia). In 1994 Ethyl divested its chemicals business as the Albemarle Corporation.
Company movements
Please see Albemarle, SABIC form JV for Al-Jubail organometallic facility on ICIS news.
In January 2009, Albermarle completed the sale of its facility in Port de Bouc, France, to Azur Chimie, a wholly-owned affiliate of International Chemical Investors Group (ICIG).
Albemarle is structured into three operating segments – Catalysts, Polymer Additives and Fine Chemicals.
Catalysts
Albemarle supplies catalysts, technologies and related services to the petroleum refining and chemical industries. The company claims to have leading positions in fluid catalytic cracker (FCC), hydroprocessing, and other specialised areas.
Polymer Chemicals
Albemarle supplies three main types of polymer additives: flame retardants, curing agents and antioxidants. Plastics compounders and polymer manufacturers use these products to add life-saving properties to resins used in electronics, appliances and furnishings; extend the useful life and improve the processability of its polymers, lubricants and fuels; and to increase the value of their chemical output or unlock new applications for their own products.
Fine Chemicals
The fine chemical division's products include surface active agents, agrochemicals, bromine, potassium and chlorine derivatives and pharmaceuticals.
Surfactant & Cleaning Chemicals
Albemarle's surfactant and biocide chemicals are sold to suppliers of household cleaners, institutional and industrial cleaners, personal-care products, and other chemical, consumer-product and water-treatment companies.
Pharmaceutical Intermediates
Albemarle manufactures advanced intermediates and bulk actives for the pharmaceutical industry. Bulk-active pharmaceuticals are formulated into finished products by pharmaceutical companies and sold to consumers in both prescription (ethical) and over-the-counter (OTC) markets. Bromine fine chemicals are sold to pharmaceutical manufacturers for the synthesis of a wide variety of medications.
Albemarle operates R&D facilities in Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium and at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, US.
Agricultural Intermediates
Albemarle's agricultural chemicals are sold to suppliers of finished pesticides, herbicides, insecticides and fertilizers.
Oilfield & Refining Chemicals
Albemarle makes chemicals for the oilfield service industry.
Photographic & Glass Chemicals
Albemarle supplies bromine chemicals to producers of photographic chemicals and films. Albemarle potassium carbonate is used by producers of cathode ray tubes, crystal and optical glass.
Precision Cleaning Solvents
Albemarle's ABZOL cleaners are powerful, environmentally responsible cleaning solvents for vapour degreasing, cold cleaning and ultrasonic cleaning of electronic circuit boards and components, optics, precision metal parts and implantable prosthetics.
They offer very low ozone depletion potential (ODP) and very low global warming potential (GWP). They have no flash point by either the tag closed cup or open cup methods, and they're easy to recycle, compatible with metals and less likely to cause corrosion than some other solvents.
Water Treatment Chemicals
Albemarle supplies several bromine-based biocides for industrial water treatment applications, as well as a line of quaternary ammonium compounds for industrial water treatment.
Albemarle
Strategy & Financial Highlights
On the back of a “challenging economy” Albemarle continues to remain confident that its programmes to control cost, generate cash, drive new products, and operate more efficiently will enable it to weather the economic downturn. On this basis, it will continue to focus on its strategic efforts on growth businesses and emerging economies, while taking steps to build a sustainable business model for 2009 and beyond. ICIS also provides you with key financial data listed in table form.
More about Albemarle Strategy & Financial Highlights
News:
Get news on Albemarle plus the latest chemical news, information, data, market movements and analysis
in one place with ICIS news
Newsletters:
ICIS offers a range of FREE e-newsletters to ensure that you don't miss out on the latest development and key market intelligence in your industry. If you want the latest news sent to your inbox, sign up for ICIS e-newsletters today.