Three mergers in thermosets.

Industry consolidation in phenolic, epoxy, and other thermosets continues with three recent mergers. One new thermoset powerhouse will be born when Borden Chemical, Inc., Columbus, Ohio, merges with Resolution Performance Products (RPP) LLC and Resolution Specialty Materials (RSM) LLC, both of Houston. Burden Chemical also recently completed its acquisition of Bakelite AG of Germany. Borden produces phenolic resins. Bakelite makes phenolic and epoxy resins and phenolic molding compounds. RPP used to be the epoxy business of Shell Chemical. RSM, its new sister company, was the coatings, adhesives, specialty polymers, and inks business of Eastman Chemical. It makes unsaturated polyester and vinyl ester resins

Meanwhile, Sumitomo Bakelite Co. Ltd. of Tokyo enhanced its already strong position in thermoset molding compounds by acquiring Vyncolit NV of Belgium and Vyncolit North America Inc., Manchester, Conn., from Perstorp Group of Sweden. Vyncolit, which purchased the thermoset molding materials business of Rogers Corp. in 2002, makes a range of thermoset resins and compounds including phenolic, melamine, urea, epoxy, DAP, polyimide, and silicone. Sumitomo Bakelite, which bought Durez Corp., Addison, Texas, from Occidental Chemical in 2000, produces phenolic, epoxy, DAP, and polyimide resins and compounds.

Bulk Molding Compounds, Inc., (BMCI), West Chicago, Ill., has purchased Rodgers Engineering Corp., Addison, Ill. BMCI is the world's largest producer of BMC. Rodgers makes BMC and SMC and also molds parts. BMCI says it will continue to operate all three Rodgers plants.