Azelis starts the year with acquisitions

ASIA ACTION

ACQUISITIONS • AZELIS HAS MADE AN AGGRESSIVE START TO THE YEAR AS IT EXTENDS ITS REACH FURTHER INTO SOUTH-EAST ASIA, WITH TWO DEALS ANNOUNCED

GLOBAL CHEMICAL DISTRIBUTOR and formulation specialist Azelis has started the year with two significant acquisitions that give it a major presence in the growing markets of south-east Asia.

Azelis began January with the acquisition of majority shareholdings in Vietnam-based MKVN Chemicals and Viet Chemicals Trading & Service Co, through their Singapore-based parent Bellekimia. Both companies are active in personal care, industrial chemicals, agrochemicals and food, as well as supply chain solutions.

Kamal Hezry Kassim, managing director of MKVN and Viet Chemi, will continue to manage the business and will report to Azelis Asia Pacific CEO/president, Laurent Nataf, who says: “Growth in Asia Pacific has been one of the strategic priorities for Azelis. By strengthening our presence in Vietnam, we will gain better coverage in the entire region which is key for us to attract new mandates with our existing principals.

“Azelis and our new partners MKVN and Viet Chemi have highly complementary business models which will help us diversify our product portfolio significantly,” Nataf continues. “MKVN and Viet Chemi currently operate best-in-class personal care laboratories in Vietnam. These laboratories will provide important added value to Azelis’ existing technical expertise and will bring benefits to the entire region. Last but certainly not least, the Kassim family has an excellent reputation in the market and the entire management team is well known and respected in the country.”

“Becoming part of such a highly regarded, international player will not only provide continuity and security for our company but also additional expertise, infrastructure and growth opportunities,” says Kazzim, adding: “We will benefit greatly from Azelis’ sustainability reputation and EcoVadis Gold rating, which are both important criteria for customers and corporate principals alike in south-east Asia.”

HEADING SOUTH Azelis has also agreed to acquire majority shareholdings in Asia Primera Kimika (APKI) and Phil-Asiatic Supply & Services (PSSI), both established in 2007 to serve the needs of chemical buyers in Malaysia and the Philippines, respectively. The acquisition brings Azelis into the Philippines market for the first time and, it says, “significantly increases its footprint in south-east Asia”. The deal is consistent with Azelis’ strategy of complementing organic growth with strategic acquisitions and is expected to close within the next three months.

“Growth in Asia Pacific is one of the strategic priorities for Azelis,” says Nataf. “Entering the important and growing market of the Philippines will help us gain an even better coverage in the entire region which is key for us to attract new mandates with our existing principals.

“Many of our principal partners have already expressed interest in building a strong portfolio with us in the country once we enter into this partnership, also in industries other than the ones where APKI and PSSI are currently active,” Nataf adds. “There is a very good cultural fit between APKI and PSSI and Azelis, for example in terms of strong technical focus and quality of the staff, so I am confident that this new union will bring many benefits to the entire region.”

Terry del Rosario, managing director of APKI and PSSI, adds: “There is an excellent technical fit that we see between the two companies: we convert innovative ingredients to innovative products and ideas, retrofitting it to the local market needs, while Azelis has the ability to continually offer innovative solutions to the market through their strong formulation capabilities.” www.azelis.com