PolyOne sells stake in Techmer PM to TPM Holdings. (Acquisitions, Expansions).

PolyOne, Cleveland, OH, a global polymer services company, and TPM Holdings, LP, a limited partnership, jointly announced that they have reached an agreement for PolyOne to sell to TPM Holdings its majority interest in the joint venture company Techmer PM, LLC. Under the agreement, PolyOne will sells its 51% position no later than January 31. Specific terms of the agreement and the purchase price were not disclosed. TPM Holdings owns the remaining 49% of Techmer PM, which has production facilities in California, Tennessee, Georgia and Kansas that produce color and additive concentrates.

ParaTec Elastomers, a limited liability corporation that is part of Mexican conglomerate DESC, announced the opening of its new headquarters in the Crossroads West complex in Middlebury, CT. ParaTec produces nitrile rubber that is used in oil-resistant applications like hoses and seals.

Denki Kagaku Kogyo KK (Denka), Singapore, will triple its production capacity for Denka ER, an ethylene-based synthetic rubber, to 3,000 mt per year over the next two years. The expansion will take place in two stages during 2003 and 2004, and is expected to cost $4.1 million. The company boosted production at its Chiba plant by 25% last year, but further expansion is needed to keep up with the growth in Singapore's domestic demand.

Pelmar Engineering, Ramat Hasharon. Israel, announced the purchase of the Dunlop tennis ball factory in Hanau, Germany. The purchase, which was completed at the end of October, follows Dunlop Sport/Slazenger U.K.'s decision to concentrate production at their new plant in the Philippines and to close the Hanau facility. Pelmar Engineering bought the factory not to operate it, but in order to recondition and sell the equipment.

Noveon, Cleveland, OH, has acquired certain assets, technology and other intellectual property from CDI Dispersions, Newark, NJ, and will expand manufacturing capacity at its subsidiary in Cincinnati, OH. The terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Noveon Hilton Davis, the Cincinnati subsidiary, produces colors and dispersions.

Alpha Associates, Woodbridge, NJ, announced the purchase of certain assets and businesses of Buffalo Weaving & Belting, Buffalo, NY. Under the terms of the agreement, Alpha will relocate specific rubber production equipment to its manufacturing plant in North Charleston, SC. During the last year, Alpha also acquired RM Engineered Products of North Charleston, SC. The addition of both companies allows Alpha to offer a full range of high performance rubber products, including flexible flue duct expansion joints, unsupported EPDM, silicone and fluoroelastomer gasket sheet, high temperature silicone belting and specialty coated textiles.

Titan Technologies officials are negotiating final lease agreements with U.S. Recycling for a recycling plant in Bay City, TX. Titan believes that the negotiations are complete and anticipates that the licensing agreements will be executed immediately. Titan is also negotiating with a company in Washington for a total of six recycling plants in a single location. This company is said to be extremely knowledgeable about the pyrolysis process, marketing of by-products and has its location secured. Scrap tires for this operation will be gathered from Oregon, California, Washington, Idaho and Nevada. In Ohio, Titan believes it is near finalization of its clean air permit with that state, and hopes that it will be able to announce the permit has been issued and they can begin the next phase of plans for the licensing and construction of a plant in Ohio. Titan produces energy from the pyrolysis of tires.

Chemcentral, said to be the world's leading privately held distributor of industrial solvents and chemicals, has signed a definitive agreement to purchase the Specialty Additives business of C.P. Hall, Chicago, IL. The transaction, whose terms are undisclosed, is expected to be completed early this year.

LandStar Rubber, Scottsdale, AZ, a producer of crumb rubber, announced a number of developments with respect to the financial and structural reorganization of the company. LandStar has completed an agreement of sale for both its Asphalt Rubber Division and its subsidiary, PolyTek Southwest, to United Trans-Western. Under terms of the agreement, UTWI will continue to produce vulcanized materials on contract to LandStar's existing customer base, as well as supplying materials for the company's devulcanization process. The company also announced it has commenced financial restructuring of its subsidiary PolyTek Pennsylvania. Pursuant to an agreement. the note on the Chambersburg facility has been sold to an existing shareholder of the company.

Great Lakes Chemical, Indianapolis, IN, has boosted production capacity by 100% for its patented no-dust blends line of polymer stabilizers with the opening of a production and service center in Arlington, TX. The production facility increases extrusion capacity by 100% for the Anox NDB line of polymer stabilizers and provides for future expansion to meet the increasing global demand for these polymer stabilizer blends.

Celanese Chemicals announced the sale of its global allylamines and U.S. alkylamines businesses to U.S. Amines Ltd. The sale is consistent with Celanese's strategy of streamlining its chemical intermediates business. As part of the transaction, Celanese will also sell its U.S. manufacturing sites in Bucks, AL, and Portsmouth, VA, to U.S. Amines Ltd., which will continue production at both sites.

Testing Machines has moved its production, engineering, sales, marketing and corporate offices to Ronkonkoma, NY, approximately three miles from its previous location in Islandia, NY. This location is also the corporate headquarters of The TMI Group of Companies. The new building provides an updated facility for Testing Machines' new product design and manufacturing.

Engelhard, Iselin, NJ, is doubling its worldwide manufacturing capacity for Lynx polyolefin catalysts in order to meet strong demand for the technology used to produce polypropylene.

Quality registrations

Lexington Plastics, Lexington, MI, has been granted registration to ISO 14001 by Entela, Grand Rapids, MI.

TMP Technologies has been registered to the ISO 9001: 2000 Quality Management System Standard by BVQi.