Laporte plc
Encyclopedia
Laporte plc was a leading British
chemicals business. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange
and was a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index
.
Chemist
, in 1888 as a supplier of peroxide
to bleach straw
boat
ing hats. It subsequently diversified into other aspects of bleaching and commercial laundry chemicals.
In the 1980s it disposed of its manufacturing operations.
In 1993 it acquired Evode Group plc, suppliers of adhesive
s and specialties
. It went on to buy Aztec Peroxides Inc., a US
peroxides business, in 1994 and Inspec Group plc, suppliers of specialty chemicals, in 1998.
It sold its major divisions, some 55% of the business by revenue, to Kohlberg Kravis Roberts in 2000. These divisions (Pigments and Additives, Formulated Products & Compounds and Computers & Electronics) subsequently became known as Rockwood Holdings Inc.
In December 2000 Degussa SKW, a joint venture between Degussa AG and SKW Trostberg
, acquired the remainder of the business. The performance chemicals business was subsequently sold on by Degussa to Cognis.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
chemicals business. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange
London Stock Exchange
The London Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in the City of London within the United Kingdom. , the Exchange had a market capitalisation of US$3.7495 trillion, making it the fourth-largest stock exchange in the world by this measurement...
and was a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index
FTSE 100 Index
The FTSE 100 Index, also called FTSE 100, FTSE, or, informally, the footsie , is a share index of the 100 most highly capitalised UK companies listed on the London Stock Exchange....
.
History
The Company was founded by Bernard Laporte, a GermanGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
, in 1888 as a supplier of peroxide
Peroxide
A peroxide is a compound containing an oxygen–oxygen single bond or the peroxide anion .The O−O group is called the peroxide group or peroxo group. In contrast to oxide ions, the oxygen atoms in the peroxide ion have an oxidation state of −1.The simplest stable peroxide is hydrogen peroxide...
to bleach straw
Straw
Straw is an agricultural by-product, the dry stalks of cereal plants, after the grain and chaff have been removed. Straw makes up about half of the yield of cereal crops such as barley, oats, rice, rye and wheat. It has many uses, including fuel, livestock bedding and fodder, thatching and...
boat
Boat
A boat is a watercraft of any size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is a...
ing hats. It subsequently diversified into other aspects of bleaching and commercial laundry chemicals.
In the 1980s it disposed of its manufacturing operations.
In 1993 it acquired Evode Group plc, suppliers of adhesive
Adhesive
An adhesive, or glue, is a mixture in a liquid or semi-liquid state that adheres or bonds items together. Adhesives may come from either natural or synthetic sources. The types of materials that can be bonded are vast but they are especially useful for bonding thin materials...
s and specialties
Specialty
Specialty or speciality may refer to:* Deed, a contract in law* Index of speciality, a geometrical invariant* Speciality , an album by J-Pop singer Nami Tamaki* Specialty , a field within medicine...
. It went on to buy Aztec Peroxides Inc., a US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
peroxides business, in 1994 and Inspec Group plc, suppliers of specialty chemicals, in 1998.
It sold its major divisions, some 55% of the business by revenue, to Kohlberg Kravis Roberts in 2000. These divisions (Pigments and Additives, Formulated Products & Compounds and Computers & Electronics) subsequently became known as Rockwood Holdings Inc.
In December 2000 Degussa SKW, a joint venture between Degussa AG and SKW Trostberg
E.ON
E.ON AG, marketed with an interpunct as E•ON, is the holding company of the world's largest investor-owned energy service provider based in Düsseldorf, Germany. The name comes from the Greek word aeon which means eternity....
, acquired the remainder of the business. The performance chemicals business was subsequently sold on by Degussa to Cognis.
Operations
The Company had the following divisions:- Pigments & Additives - iron oxide pigments for plastics (based in St Louis) and clay based additives for plastics (Southern Clay Inc.)
- Formulated Products & Compounds - PVCPolyvinyl chloridePolyvinyl chloride, commonly abbreviated PVC, is a thermoplastic polymer. It is a vinyl polymer constructed of repeating vinyl groups having one hydrogen replaced by chloride. Polyvinyl chloride is the third most widely produced plastic, after polyethylene and polypropylene. PVC is widely used in...
and TPEThermoplastic elastomerThermoplastic elastomers , sometimes referred to as thermoplastic rubbers, are a class of copolymers or a physical mix of polymers which consist of materials with both thermoplastic and elastomeric properties...
materials for data transmission cables, electrical insulation and closure seals for beverages (Alpha Gary Inc.) - Computers & Electronics
- Specialty Chemicals - PeroxidePeroxideA peroxide is a compound containing an oxygen–oxygen single bond or the peroxide anion .The O−O group is called the peroxide group or peroxo group. In contrast to oxide ions, the oxygen atoms in the peroxide ion have an oxidation state of −1.The simplest stable peroxide is hydrogen peroxide...
s (Aztec Peroxides Inc.) - Rockwood Additives is based in WidnesWidnesWidnes is an industrial town within the borough of Halton, in Cheshire, England, with an urban area population of 57,663 in 2004. It is located on the northern bank of the River Mersey where the estuary narrows to form the Runcorn Gap. Directly to the south across the Mersey is the town of Runcorn...
, UK. Here the 2 products Fulacolor and Laponite are produced.