Willkie has vast experience in all segments of this diversified market, representing chemical manufacturers and distributers throughout the U.S and Europe, as well as those funds and financial institutions seeking investment in this area.
Experience
- Arkema in antitrust matters in several jurisdictions throughout the world.
- Univar Solutions in multidistrict litigation that has been filed on behalf of purchasers of crop inputs (seeds and crop protection chemicals, such as fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides, used by farmers). The lawsuit alleges anticompetitive conduct by major crop inputs manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers, by, among other things, jointly boycotting companies that would have introduced lower prices of crop inputs through online sales.
- LSB Industries in the completion of its previously announced private offering of $35 million in aggregate principal amount of its 9.625% Senior Secured Notes due 2023. The Notes constitute a further issuance of the 9.625% Senior Secured Notes due 2023, of which $400 million aggregate principal amount was issued in 2018.
- Tronox Limited in an offering of $615 million 6.5% Senior Notes due 2026.
- Arkema in declaratory judgment action in E.D. Pa. brought against Honeywell regarding standard-essential patents related to next-generation automotive refrigerant HFO-1234yf; case is currently stayed pending reexamination brought by other chemical manufacturers.
- Patent advice to Hocking International regarding DMSO agricultural fertilizers; obtained preliminary injunction in Alabama state court regarding theft of trade secrets and other unfair practices, concurrently with pending patent litigation in M.D.N.C.; case settled after entry of injunction.
- Platinum Equity and its portfolio company Solenis in the financing of Solenis’ $4.6 billion acquisition of Diversey Holdings, Ltd.
- Solenis, a portfolio company of Platinum Equity, in the financing of its acquisition of Clearon Corp.
- Debt financing counsel to Platinum Equity in its $5.25 billion acquisition of water treatment company Solenis from Clayton, Dubilier & Rice and BASF.
- Ardian in the sale of ESIM Chemicals, is a global provider of high-quality agricultural and crop protection chemicals, intermediates and maleic anhydride tree chemicals, to Sun European Partners.
- Arkema, a global chemicals company and France’s leading chemicals producer, on several of its sales and acquisitions, including its:
- divestment of its PMMA business to Trinseo.
- sale of its Functional Polyolefins business to SK Global Chemical.
- sale of its activated carbon and filter aid business to Calgon Carbon.
- CapVest Partners in its acquisition of Recochem from H.I.G Capital
- The Capstreet Group in its sale of Thorpe Specialty Services.
- FFL Partners and Icynene-Lapolla, a leading North American manufacturer and distributor of spray polyurethane foam (SPF) insulation systems, in the $350 million acquisition of Icynene-Lapolla by Huntsman Corporation.
- Grillo-Werke AG, the European market leader in the processing of zinc and sulfur, in the sale of its intellectual property and know-how regarding Methanesulfonic Acid to an international chemical company.
- IK Partners in its minority investment in Safic-Alcan, a global specialty chemicals distributor.
- OpenGate Capital on several acquisitions and dispositions, including:
- its sale of EverZinc, a global provider of specialty zinc materials to U.S. Zinc, a portfolio company of Aterian Investment Partners.
- its acquisition of Saint-Gobain’s silicon carbide division.
- its sale of NAKAN, a global PVC compounding solutions business headquartered in France to Westlake Chemical Corporation.
- PAI Partners in its sale of Perstorp Holding AB, a leading specialty chemicals group, to Petronas Chemicals Group Berhad.
- Syntagma Capital in the acquisition of certain Imerys assets serving the paper markets.